Picking up the Pieces
by astronomygirl85
Summary: Ziva’s twin sister is on the run from her husband a Hamas double agent with her two young children. When she dies, Ziva and Tony are left with the children and a vendetta to track down the murderer! Established TIVA & MCABBY & JIBBS
1. He's Here!

Hello again everyone! Okay, my first non-musical NCIS story. I had a lot of fun with the musical now I want to see how everyone likes a story without all the singing. I know this chapter is short and mysterious, but there is some relevance. This fic has established TIVA and MCABBY--two of my favorite couples. Might be some JIBBS in there, too. Not sure whether this should be post Judgement Day or an AU. Let me know what you think. Here we go…

Oh by the way, all NCIS characters you recognize belong to Bellasario. I am just borrowing them for my own totally twisted fun. Now for the story!

Picking up the Pieces

Chapter One:

He's Here!

_This airport is way too crowded this early in the morning!_ the woman thought as she sat at her temporary perch in the food court. The river of people flowed past her, completely doused in their own problems, completely unaware of the woman watching them. It was just how she wanted it.

The two hour wait in London had really taken a lot out of her daughter and infant son, she noticed, as she looked down at her dozing six year old. She was leaning against her left shoulder, sound asleep. The waiting was always the hardest part of any trip she had ever taken. It was her first trip with her children in tow. Now she waited for the all clear sign from her contact here in Washington, DC.

Her son fussed a little in his sleep, his tiny hands turning to fists as he dreamed. He would be so strong when he grew up. She stroked his little cheek and forced a smile for her little son. Her little boy who would probably never get to know his mother…

She shook herself from those negative thoughts, knowing that it could happen, in spite of the fact that she wanted to be optimistic for the sake of her children.

Her cell phone beeped; she had a message. She looked at her phone. _All clear._ The simple two word phrase that slightly lifted her spirits. Quietly, she shook her dozing daughter awake.

"Ima, what's going on?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"We can go now, sweetheart."

The little girl nodded and stood up. "Ima, why are we running from Aba?"

The woman stopped dead in her tracks. She had expected that question from her since they had left Tel Aviv, but it still hurt that her daughter had to ask.

"Ima found out that he was a bad man. A very bad man. Now, no more questions. Soon, we will be safe from him and his friends."

She nodded, stifling back tears as she continued to walk with her mom and little brother.

The woman continued her walk, picking up her luggage and exchanging some of her money for American dollars. She kept herself inconspicuous, not drawing any attention to herself as she continued to keep an eye on her surroundings.

She was heading out to the car that her contact had provided her, when she spotted someone very familiar out of the corner of her eye.

He was standing at a phone booth, speaking quietly and urgently, his face half hidden by the booth, but she would recognize the man's profile anywhere.

_My god, no_, she thought in panic. _He did find out. He did follow us after all!_

Once again, she had to shake herself loose of negative thoughts. It could be coincidence after all. She didn't want to take that chance though. She and her children quickly, but casually made her way to the car. She made sure that her daughter was secure in her seat, arranged her son's car seat so that he would be safe, and signaled for the driver to go.

She quickly got a message off to her contact in the driver's seat. As they drove off, she had one last alarming thought.

Her husband turned Hamas agent was in America and coming after her and her children!

There is chapter one. I have more written, but this was a good spot to end a chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Suggestions are definitely welcome. I am open to all kinds of constructive criticism. Vielen Dank! Maylee


	2. Refugees from Home

Okay everyone, here is chapter two. We learn more about this mysterious woman and her children. For those of you who wanted to know how the kids get to Ziva, this partily answers your question. More will be answered soon, I promise. For now though, have fun with this chapter.

Chapter Two:

Refugees from Home

The annoying beep of the alarm clock roused Ziva David out of her sleep. She looked over to her side, her fiancée Tony DiNozzo was still slumbering deep. She spared one last glance at him before raising herself out of bed and getting ready for her morning jog. She dressed in a pair of track pants and a tank top and tied her hair up in a ponytail. She laced up her shoes and went for the door, pausing as she saw an envelope with her name written in flowing Hebrew script.

_Do not deviate from your usual activities this morning. One block east on your normal route, you will find three refugees from home who have been entrusted to your care._

It was not signed, but Ziva suspected that it came from the Embassy of Israel. And that meant Officer Michael Bashan had written it. She made sure that her weapon was secure on her thigh and set off on her jog.

_These refugees must be rather important to my father if they have been entrusted to me_, Ziva thought as she ran her normal circuit around the complex then set off into the streets around her.

She turned into an alleyway approximately one block away from her apartment and on the lookout for the refugees. Ziva saw nothing until she heard a voice cry out.

"Ima! Where were you? I was so scared!"

_Ima?_ Ziva thought in confusion as she turned to look at the source of the voice. It was a little girl, no more than five or six years old. She was the precise image of Ziva at that age. _Why would she think that I was her mother? Unless she is…_

"I am not your Ima, young one," she began cautiously.

"Where is she? I want my Ima!"

"I don't know, but do not worry. You are safe with me. Do you know what Mossad is?"

The girl nodded. "Our Ima is Mossad."

"Our?"

"Me and my little brother," she replied indicating a carriage beside her where an infant boy was sound asleep. "He's only five months old."

_Poor kids_, Ziva thought. "How long have you been here by yourself?"

"I don't know. Why do you look like my Ima?" she asked.

"Maybe I am related to her. What is her name?"

"Zavi. Zavi David-Amar."

_My god! They are Zavi's children! Zavi is here too!_

"Why are you surprised?"

"My name is Ziva David. I am your Ima's sister."

"You're my Doda?"

Ziva nodded. Now will you tell me your names?"

"I'm Tali and this is my brother Jakob. I'm scared Doda Ziva."

"I know, Tali. I will take you to my home and take care of you. When you are safe, I will go and find your Ima. She will not be far from you."

Ziva reached for her cell phone and dialed home.

"What are you doing?" Tali asked.

"Calling my fiancée and telling him what happened. Quiet now."

"Hello?" came the answer from a yawning Tony.

"It's Ziva, Love. I ran into trouble out here."

"Trouble? Where?" He was fully awake now. It sounded like he had jumped out of bed and was rushing around to find clothes to wear. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Tony. I found my sister's children in an alleyway not far from home. One block east. Zavi is not with them."

"Are they okay?"

"Scared, but okay. I am bringing them home, and then I am going to look for my sister."

"Okay. Want me to call anyone?"

"Yeah, call the team and let them know. D.J. would love a chance to play with a new friend." Ziva was referring to Abby and Timothy McGee's two year old son Donovan Jethro. He was a hand full, but he loved his Auntie Ziva and Uncle Tony.

"Okay. See you soon, Ziva. Love you."

"I love you too, Tony. Bye." Ziva turned to Tali with a smile. "Okay, we can go now." Ziva gently picked up her nephew's carrier. "Take my hand, Tali." She held out her free hand, and Tali took it.

"Is your home far, Doda Ziva?"

"No, just around the block." They started walking. The sudden movement caused Jakob to fuss in his sleep. He was starting to wake up.

Ziva paused as he started crying. She sat the carrier down and motioned for Tali to stop.

"He is scared, too."

"You are right. And he is probably hungry as well." Ziva gently lifted her infant nephew out of his crib. "You'll be okay, little one. Doda Ziva will take care of you." She patted the little boy gently on his back and started rocking him slowly, trying to soothe his crying.

"He likes you," Tali giggled.

Ziva smiled. "I can tell. Can you carry the carrier and hold on to me at the same time?"

"I think so."

"Okay, let's go then." They started walking again.

From her hiding spot near the alleyway, she watched her sister take her children to safety. They would be safe at least. She wanted to go to them as well, but knew she couldn't. Her husband was nearby, and would not hesitate to kill her.

At least Zavi got to see her children safe with Ziva before Imran found her.

Okay, for those of you who know or speak Hebrew, I apologize if I screwed up any of the words that I used. I am not familiar with the Hebrew language, but I want to learn. I speak English and German. Any help and/or suggestions will be appreciated. Now, you know what to do. Bis naechste Kapitel! Maylee


	3. Whatever It Takes

Okay, here is chapter three for everyone. A warning though--violence ahead. This is why it is T instead of K+. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter Three:

Whatever It Takes

She made it about a block away when she heard angry words coming at her in coarse Arabic. Zavi kept on walking away from him and further away from Ziva and her children. She heard Imran break out into a run, so she was not surprised when he grabbed her arm roughly. She turned at the contact and kicked him hard in the groin.

"You bitch!" he growled and lunged at her, forgetting all the training Mossad and Hamas provided him.

Zavi avoided him easily, and he slammed into the wall. She laughed at his foolishness, angering him more. "It was all a game to you, wasn't it?" she yelled in Hebrew. "All part of some sick plan of Hamas to plant a spy in Mossad?"

"Worked rather well, didn't it? You bore my children. A son to join the great Hamas army to bring down the mighty Hebrew empire."

"My children will never be slaves to your damn cause. I rue the day I ever set my eyes on you! You will never get your hands on my children again. You will have to kill me first."

"Where are they, Zavi?" Imran demanded.

"Away from you. You can torture me all you want, but you'll never get the information out of me."

"Where are they?"

"Go to hell, you bastard!" Zavi yelled, reaching for her gun.

"Not so fast, bitch!" Imran took a swing at her, punching her in the face and breaking her nose. The second swing, Zavi caught with her free hand and twisted away from her.

Zavi countered with a swing of her own with her gun hand. Her gun landed hard against his temple. Imran cried out in pain, then lunged hard at Zavi, somehow knocking the gun out of her grip.

_Damn it!_She swore inwardly. She went for her knife that was secure at her calf. She managed to stab him in the thigh before Imran noticed she was doing anything.

"You bloody whore!" Imran shouted, pulling the knife out with one squirm of pain. He buried it in her thigh. "An eye for an eye!"

"You'll never find them Imran!" she grunted.

"You underestimate me Zavi. That was always your problem, you know. You always underestimated me."

"Go to hell, Imran!"

_Damn, he had to hit a major artery!_Zavi grimaced when she saw the blood running from the wound. _Keep the knife in to staunch the blood flow_, she thought frantically.

"I will find them, Zavi. And now I think, I will take my leave of you."

Imran looked around and found Zavi's sidearm. "It's been fun, Zavi, but now you will die a slow and painful death."

He fired and left.

Zavi was left in the alleyway to die alone.

Ziva started at the alleyway where she had found the children. Her phone was at her side. She followed her instincts, thinking about what her sister would do to keep her children safe. She would not have been far from them, probably a place where she could make sure that her sister found them and got them to safety.

_Where would I go where I'd be able to see the alleyway and my apartment complex? _She looked around and found an abandoned vendor stand. Ziva walked over and behind the stand. She could see both places safely in her view. _Now where would she go?_

A gunshot rang out somewhere behind her. She immediately felt a pang of dread. _Zavi!_ She thought frantically setting off at a sprint toward the sound. _Hold on sister! I am coming for you!_

Zavi was in a semi-conscious state. In her fogged mind, she remembered the pains she took to keep her children safe.

_Zavi knew that Imran was in the States and that he was after her. How did he get here first though?_

_She communicated briefly with Officer Bashan to go ahead and take her belongings to the Embassy. She needed to get her children to Ziva immediately._

"_Drop me off a block from Ziva's home and get a message to her to retrieve us when she goes on her morning jog. Imran must not find them."_

"_Are you sure that is a wise decision?"_

"_My children come first. I will die to save them."_

_Conversation finished. "I will do as you say, but I do not like the idea."_

_Zavi nodded and took out a letter that she had written on the plane to London. She hid it in Jakob's carrier, just under the blanket and secure._

_She knew that Ziva would find it when she took in Jakob and Tali._

"_We are at the Embassy now. I will drop your stuff off, and then you will get in another car. Officer Natan will take you to your sister. Shalom and good luck."_

"_Shalom," Zavi replied as she got out with her children. She grabbed a bottle to feed Jakob so that he would go to sleep._

"_Remember me, little one, when you grow up," she whispered to him as he drank._

"_Officer David?" Officer Natan called from a car nearby._

"_We're coming." Zavi led her daughter to the car and secured her son in his car seat._

_Twenty minutes later, they arrived at their destination._

"_Shalom and best of luck, Officer David," Officer Natan offered as he drove the car away from the alleyway. _

"_You need to stay awake now, my dear," Zavi said to her daughter. "You need to help me watch for bad guys."_

"_Hamas?"_

"_Yes, Hamas. And other bad guys."_

"_Okay, Ima."_

_One hour later, Zavi decided to venture out from the alleyway. She gave her daughter strict instructions to stay quiet unless it was an emergency, and set out to an abandoned vending stand._

_A man jumped her almost instantly. Sensing that he was not Hamas, Zavi quickly dispatched him, knocking him unconscious with one blow to the face. She quickly dragged him away from the vending stand._

_She decided to stay there for a while to keep her children out of harm's way. _

_Five minutes later at nearly four o'clock, the first Hamas person appeared. He was dispatched rather easily as well. _

_Ten minutes afterward, she saw Ziva jogging towards her children, and she was relieved._

_'Nother chapter in the books! Catcha next time for chapter four! Until then...Maylee_


	4. Dealing with Death

All right

All right. Now the rest of the team comes into the picture. Just wish it was under better circumstances…okay maybe not or there wouldn't be a story for me to work on. Have fun everyone.

Chapter Four:

Dealing with Death

A half felt thought pulled Zavi out of her reverie. _Hold on, Sister! I am coming for you!_

Was she imagining her sister's thoughts? It would fit perfectly in her semiconscious state.

"Zavi!"

She did not imagine that. Right?

"My God. Zavi, what happened?"

"Ziva?" she muttered.

"Yes. I am here, Zavi. What happened?"

"Kids safe?"

"Yes, at home with my fiancée, Tony. Now, what happened?"

"Imran…Hamas…after my babies. Don't let him get my children."

"I won't. Now save your strength. I'm calling an ambulance."

Zavi stayed silent as Ziva dialed for an ambulance and spoke in quiet English.

"Five minutes, Zav. Hold on for five minutes, please." Ziva started putting pressure on her chest wound.

"Can't Zee. Tired. Losing too much blood."

"Don't think like that, Zav."

Ziva's voice was fading away as she spoke. All Zavi wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep. She heard herself say "Tell my kids I love them."

Zavi feel into the blissful eternal darkness that was death.

Ziva held on to her sister's hand as she applied pressure to the wound with her other hand. Her hand was clammy and cold. She was talking to her sister, but she didn't seem to be listening. "Ziva?"

Ziva looked down at her sister. She was fading away quickly. It was just a whisper, but Ziva heard it nonetheless. "Tell my kids I love them."

"Zavi," she cried. It was too late. Zavi took her last, strangled breath and said no more.

"No," Ziva choked, tears burning down her cheeks as she clutched her sister's limp hand. As the sirens blared around her, Ziva launched into the death prayers, not moving at all from Zavi's side as the EMTs closed around her.

After an eternity it seemed, Ziva finally became aware of what was going on around her. The EMTs were telling her that Zavi had died. As is she did not know that already. A huge hole in her heart had ripped open when Zavi died.

"This is a crime scene," Ziva said after a while. "Do not touch anything."

"Ma'am?"

"Do not touch anything! Or I will have you arrested for tampering with evidence." Ziva did not want to deal with this, but knew that the situation had to be dealt with properly.

"You do not have the authority!"

Ziva grabbed her badge out of her pocket. "This gives me the authority. Now, leave my sister alone!"

She turned away from the EMT before she caved in—_Was that the right expression? Note to self: Ask Tony later_—and gave in to her desire to strangle the man.

She grabbed her cell phone and dialed Tony.

"Ziva? You find your sister?"

"Yes," she replied with a sigh.

Tony seemed to sense that something was wrong. "What happened?"

"She died, Tony. I could not save her."

"I am so sorry, Ziva. I'll get Ducky and Gibbs. Just tell me where you are."

Ziva rattled off her location, fighting back the tears. "I'm coming, Ziva. Abby will watch the kids."

"Okay."

"That was Ziva? What happened?" Abby asked. The kids, her son DJ and six year old Tali, were sitting on the floor, watching TV. Jakob was asleep on the sofa in his carrier.

Abby could tell that Tony was extremely worried. He had a sad expression on his face after he hung up.

"Tali?" Tony called, walking up to her.

"Ken, Dod Tony?"

"Can you watch your brother and DJ for a minute?"

"Yes. I can. What's wrong with Ima and Doda Ziva?"

"Don't worry, Sweetheart. I'll find out soon."

"What happened?" Abby asked when they moved into the kitchen along with Ducky, McGee, and Gibbs.

"Ziva found her sister. Zavi died."

"How?" Abby asked.

"She didn't say, but she wants us down there."

"McGee and I will work the scene. Tony, you get Ziva and bring her back home. Those kids need her right now."

"Poor dear must feel terrible," Ducky muttered. "We must be on our way then."

"Abby? Will you watch the kids until Ziva and I get back?"

"Of course. I love those kids already, and I just met them."

"Thanks, Abs."

Tony grabbed his gun and followed the others out the door.

Waterworks going here? Hard chapter to write, not my best, I think. Anyway, it is up to you. By the way, I have just decided to put Jenny in here after all. Take That, Judgment Day!! Hi-Ya! Okay, enough fooling around. Gotta get to chapter five…

Guten Nacht! Maylee


	5. Telling the Family

This was another hard chapter for me to write

This was another hard chapter for me to write. Well, finally the issue of Judgment Day is out of the picture and Jenny is alive!! Okay, now to the story. Tell me what you think!

Chapter Five:

Telling the Family

Tony had no idea what condition he would find Ziva in when he found her. She was a fighter, that much was certain of her, but how would she react to the death of her twin sister-her last living sibling? He had no idea.

Tony thought he had prepared himself for the worst, but the sight of Ziva sitting next to her fallen sister, fighting back the tears broke his heart. He got out of his car and quietly walked up to her. No words could make her feel better now, he knew. No stupid movie quotes or cheesy jokes. There was only one thing he could do for Ziva right now: be there for her.

She finally looked up at him, acknowledging his presence through shining eyes that threatened to let the tears fall. Tony saw the blood on her hands, her shirt. Her sister's blood. He didn't think about it, he just pulled Ziva up from her position on the ground, hugging her close to him.

"I could not save her, Tony," she muttered against his chest.

"Sh, I'm here now, Ziva. I'm taking you home. Those kids will need you more than ever now."

"How can I tell Tali? How can I tell her that her Ima is dead?"

Tony couldn't answer that. All he could do was hold her and lead her away from the alleyway. "McGee and Gibbs are here. So, they will work the scene, and Ducky will be here soon. They will be fine without us. Let's go home, Sweetcheeks."

Ziva didn't say anything, but allowed him to carry her to his car. The short ride home was silent.

"Ziva!" Abby exclaimed when they entered the apartment. "I'm so sorry." She wrapped her in one of her trademark bone crushing hugs. "Oh my god! You're hurt!" she exclaimed again, seeing the blood on Ziva.

"No. It's not my blood," she replied and moved into her room.

"Those poor kids!" Abby cried softly to Tony.

"They won't be alone. They have us now. We'll grieve together as a family."

"Mommy?" a two year old DJ called, tugging on Abby's skirt. "Why Auntie Ziva cwyin?"

"She lost her sister, baby."

"Why she not find her?"

Tony and Abby looked down at the toddler. Abby didn't know how to answer her son.

"I don't know, sweetie."

"She be okay Unca Tony?"

"Soon, little man. Why don't you go and I go check on her?"

Abby looked at Tony. "I'll call Jenny and let her know what's going on. She'll probably come soon with little Shannon Marie."

Tony nodded and took DJ's hand. "Come on, big boy. Let's go see Auntie Ziva."

Tony led the toddler to the bedroom. They found Ziva curled up on the bed, sniffling.

"She sad, Unca Tony." DJ toddled up to his aunt. "Auntie Ziva?"

"Shalom, DJ."

"I weal sowry yu sad."

"Toda, DJ."

"I wuv yu." He planted a sloppy kiss on Ziva's cheek, making her smile weakly.

"I love you, too."

"Unca Tony! I make Auntie Ziva smile!"

"I saw that. Now, why don't you go tell your mommy what you did?"

"Okay." DJ ran out of the bedroom.

"I needed that," Ziva replied, wiping away the tears.

"He hates seeing Auntie Ziva sad. So does Unca Tony."

Ziva smiled weakly again.

"Doda Ziva?" another small voice called.

"It is okay to come in, Tali," Ziva replied in English without thinking. She caught herself.

"I speak English, Doda Ziva. Ima taught me. She okay?"

"I am sorry, Tali. She has gone to heaven to be with Doda Tali and Dod Ari."

"She died?" Tali said in tears. "No! I want my Ima!"

"I am sorry. I tried to save her, but I was too late."

"No!" she cried. "You're lying! I want my Ima!"

"I know. I want her back, too."

Tali sunk down on the bed and shuddered, the tears flowing freely down her face. Ziva clung to her, finally letting her own tears flow. Tony wrapped them both in his embrace and held them until they fell asleep.

An hour later, Abby found them in the same position, Ziva and Tali asleep and Tony holding them both.

Tony looked up at her. She was holding onto Jakob, who was squirming in her arms. "This little guy is going to need some diapers and formula. Let's leave them be for a while and get this little guy settled in."

Tony nodded and left the two to sleep.

"Thanks for being here for us, Abs."

"Anytime, Tony. You're family."

I know what all of you JIBBS shippers are thinking. Who is Shannon Marie? Is she Jenny's daughter? Gibbs'? You'll see soon! Until Chapter Six…Maylee


	6. Letters

Okay, here is the chapter where a lot of questions are answered

Okay, here is the chapter where a lot of questions are answered. Hope you are satisfied with my explanations. If you have any questions, just ask. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Six:

Letters

Ziva woke up to a feeling of coldness behind her. _Tony was here when I fell asleep, yes?_ She looked down at the six year old in her arms, the tears still fresh on her cheeks. She had cried herself to sleep as well. She quietly disentangled herself from Tali and rose from the bed.

"Tony?" she softly called as she moved into the living room. Nothing. She moved into the kitchen. No one at all. Then, she saw the note on the counter along with an envelope?

Ziva picked up the note first and recognized Abby's handwriting:

_Ziva,_

_I didn't want to wake you, so I dragged Tony and Jakob out with me and DJ. Jakob was getting fussy so we went to buy some diapers and formula, general baby stuff. We will be back soon. _

_Abby_

_PS-I found the envelope in Jakob's carrier under his blanket. It has Hebrew characters on it so don't worry. I couldn't read it if I wanted to. Anyways, be back soon._

Ziva chuckled softly at Abby's antics, and then looked at the envelope. She saw her name in Hebrew characters and knew it was Zavi's handwriting. She choked back a few tears. She finally opened up the envelope and read.

_Ziva,_

_If you are reading this letter, I guess it has happened—I am dead. I hope you will keep my children safe and not let them forget their mother. I know you must be confused right now, so let me explain how I got here._

_I was Imran's control officer, you remember…_

Zavi peered down at from her perch atop an abandoned building in Haifa. Through her binoculars, she could see her husband negotiating with two Hamas weapons dealers. Through her earwig, she could hear Imran speaking in Arabic.

"No deal," Imran told the large man. "I will not accept less than 500 a piece for the Uzis."

"You are insane," the second man, more burly than his colleague, snarled.

They would not bend, as Imran and Zavi had expected. Zavi knew what she had to do then. She scooted over half a meter to the sniper rifle she had procured for the mission. She targeted the big man in her crosshairs.

"I have Big Man targeted," she whispered into her comm.

She checked the wind. _One shot, one kill_.

She pressed the trigger.

The man fell with a silent thunk to the ground; a bullet lodged in his brain. He died instantly. Zavi heard a second shot ring out. Imran had drawn his weapon and knocked Burly Man dead with a bullet to the chest.

"Nicely done, my wife," Imran called to her in Hebrew.

"And you. I'm off to get the children. See you tonight?"

"Ken."

Zavi wasted no time in getting off that roof with her rifle.

_I had thought that the mission had gone as planned, Ziva, until much later that night when Imran thought that I was asleep. That was when I learned a terrible truth about my husband…_

Zavi was pulled from her slumber by a knock on the door. _Damn my sensitive ears!_ She cursed as Imran stirred.

"Who could it be at this hour?" Imran grunted, still half asleep. "Go back to sleep, Zavi. I will take care of it." He kissed her forehead and rose from their bed.

Zavi turned and looked at the clock. 0200. _Who would visit at 0200?_

Zavi closed her eyes and tried to return to sleep, but sharp Arabic voices jerked her back to alertness. Imran responded.

"Quietly, my wife and children sleep still. She needs to be completely unaware in order for the plan to succeed."

_What plan?_ Zavi wondered. _What in the world is going on out there?_ She listened some more.

"That Mossad bitch?" one voice admonished Imran. "How long are you going to keep this Mossad charade up?"

Zavi's attention got even more focused on the conversation happening in the living room. She was getting angry. Why wasn't Imran defending her integrity?

"She should have been dead a long time ago," a second voice added. "I don't understand why you haven't killed her yet."

"Her father is the Deputy Director of Mossad. She is a valuable tool to use as are the children," Imran responded.

"_That_ David? I understand now. You are right, as always, Imran. That is why you are a great Hamas leader," the second voice intoned.

"Praise be to Allah when we can finally join his side in victory," Imran responded. "Zavi will never know what killed her. Too bad, too. I really enjoyed playing around with her. Now it is time to get busy."

_Bastard! He was Hamas all along!_ Zavi shouted in her mind. It was all a grand scheme to bring down Mossad. She had heard enough to satisfy herself. She tuned out the rest of the conversation as a plan formulated in her head to get herself and her children out of Haifa and to her sister in America.

_Now, you know all of the details. I caught a flight to London and then came here to America. Since I am now with our Ima, Tali, and Ari, it is up to you and your NCIS team to track down and eliminate Imran—if that is his real name. Officer Bashan will have my luggage and documents at the Embassy. Take care of Tali and Jakob for me. I will always watch over them and you from heaven._

_Until we meet again,_

_Zavi_

"Doda Ziva?" Tali asked from the bedroom, wiping her eyes with her hand.

"Yes, Tali?" Ziva asked, putting away the letter.

"Why did Ima have to die?"

Ziva froze in her tracks. What could she say?

"I do not know. Maybe God has special plans for her up there. She did not want to die, but she did it to protect you and your brother. She wanted me to tell you that she loves you very much and will always be watching from heaven."

"I want her here with us. It will not be the same."

"I know. But that is why you have me and Dod Tony, Abby, McGee, Gibbs, and DJ here. We can give you love, too."

"I am still going to miss her though."

"Me too."

"Where is Dod Tony?"

"He went with Abby and DJ to get some diapers and formula for Jakob."

Ziva heard knocking from the door. "That must be Jenny with Shannon Marie."

She went to answer the door. "Ziva," Jenny greeted her, shifting her 9 month old daughter to her other arm to hug her friend. "How are you holding up?"

"Okay. I am more concerned for Tali and Jakob then myself right now."

Ziva invited her friend in the apartment and introduced Tali to Jenny and the baby.

"Hi Tali. I met your mother once when I was in Europe. She was a nice lady."

"She was the best Ima!" Tali exclaimed with tears in her eyes.

"Hey now. None of that crying," Jenny said wiping Tali's tears away with her finger. I'm sure your Ima would want you to be a big girl now and help Ziva and Tony with your little brother."

Tali nodded. "Can I hold your daughter? She is cute."

Ziva smiled, watching Jenny interact with Tali. She remembered seeing Jenny in tears when the doctors had informed her that she couldn't have children, It was shortly after her elopement in Paris with Gibbs. Jenny learned that she had developed tumors on her ovaries that had to be excised. As a result, she would never give birth.

They decided to adopt a child instead. Shannon Marie Gibbs was a blessing in disguise for the ever growing NCIS family. Jenny was an excellent mother and Shannon Marie was the happiest baby Ziva had ever seen.

It made Ziva even more worried about her ability to be a good mother. She wanted children with Tony, she had told him herself. They just weren't ready for that yet.

Then, there was little Jakob, just five months old, and six year old Tali. They both needed her to take care of them. Two lives were completely dependent on her and Tony to survive. Could they handle it?

Ziva continued to watch her friend interacting with the children, that worry still nagging away at her brain.

I agonized a long time over the contents of Zavi's letter. I hoped you liked how I did that scene. Anyway, until next chapter…Maylee


	7. Daddy Big Boots

Here comes the next chapter

Here comes the next chapter. This one took me a while. I don't do evil that well, I don't think. So, how many are watching the Olympics? That is part of the reason I haven't been writing much lately. I have been engrossed in the games. USA! USA! USA!

Can't help it, I am American. I am also rooting for Germany. China is very impressive too. Anyway, here is the next chapter.

Chapter Seven:

Daddy Big Boots

Kharyym Al-Amir could not be any more satisfied than he was right now. He had lived with that Mossad harlot for five and half years as a "happy" married couple. Now the girl was dead at by his hand. Objective one completed. David was out of the picture and now he could be his true self instead of the placated humble man "Imran." He could finally shed that alias and become Kharyym once more.

"Hello my old friend," he said over the phone. "It has been a while since we last spoke. The deed is done. Zavi David is dead."

"Are you certain?" his friend asked. "You know how sneaky those Mossad ingrates are."

"Yes. She is dead. I shot her at point blank range. I know it was her. I will watch the Embassy to see who comes after the children. They have to be there. Then I will complete Objective Two. The grandchildren of the Mossad Director will be a powerful pawn to use against him."

"Agreed. Do not mess this one up, Kharyym. You fouled up once when you bedded the whore. Do not make another mistake." He terminated the connection. Friend indeed.

Kharyym scooped up his jacket and secured his weapon in its holster. He had a bus to catch to reach the Embassy. It would be a long day.

Ziva managed to keep herself together as she drove to NCIS with Tony and the kids in tow for emotional support. She and Tali needed to give their statements to Gibbs and the rest of the team. Ziva knew that it would be especially hard for Tali. She had to tell Gibbs how they got into the States.

The letter that sat on the console next to her would help tell that story. She had translated it into English for the team and had it in the envelope with the original.

"Doda Ziva?" Tali called from the backseat next to her little brother. "I am thirsty."

Jakob moaned a little from his carrier. He had to make his voice known as well in the car.

"I think the little man is thirsty as well," Tony added with a smirk. "We'll get you something to drink when we get to headquarters."

"Headquarters?" Tali said slowly, fumbling with the unfamiliar English word.

"NCIS. Where Tony and I work," Ziva explained for Tali.

"Okay."

Jakob was starting to fuss a bit as they turned into the Navy Yard. By the time they reached the parking lot, he was in full blown "cry mode" as Tony had dubbed it.

"What do I do?" she asked aloud to herself.

"Don't ask me. Tali?"

"Carry him," she suggested.

"I'll get the carrier," Tony muttered. Ziva nodded as she got out of the front seat and unhooked Jakob out of his carrier/ car seat. She carefully lifted him out and grabbed the diaper bag that Tony and Abby bought for him earlier.

He kept crying. And crying. _Come on Ziva! You can do this._ She bounced him against her shoulder and rocked him slowly back and forth. Still nothing helped as they walked into the building and into the elevator. _Zavi, _she prayed, _help me, please_.

_Sing to him. Calm him down, _Zavi's voice inside her head answered. _Worth a try_, she thought as a song came to mind.

"They call your daddy Big Boots  
And Big Boots is his name  
It takes a big man to wear big boots  
That's your daddy's claim to fame"

Tony started smiling as he watched Ziva interact with her young nephew. Tony was seeing another side of Ziva. He loved it. Right then Tony knew that Ziva would be a great mother to their future children.

_Hold on there DiNozzo! You're not even married yet and you're thinking about children._

_What about Jakob though?_ His other side fought. _He needs a father figure in his life. Am I ready to fill that role?_

_Stop thinking too much DiNozzo. Just enjoy the moment._

Tony shook his thoughts away as he continued to listen to Ziva sing.

"They know your daddy Big Boots  
Wherever soldiers are  
'Cause he can handle an armored tank  
Just like a kiddy can  
So sleep little soldier  
Don't you cry"

_Wait a minute, that song sounds familiar…_Tony struggled to make the connection. _I know I've heard that in a movie somewhere._

"Loo loo loo loo  
Loo loo loo  
General sandman's soon coming by  
Loo loo loo loo  
Loo loo loo"

_Elvis?_

"I'm gonna tell you a little secret  
You won't believe it's true  
Did you know your  
Daddy Big Boots  
Once wore little boots like you"

_Yes! Elvis Presley movie _GI Blues! Tony thought triumphantly with a smile. _Wait a minute, Ziva watches Elvis Presley?_

"Tony?" Ziva looked at him.

"That was beautiful Ziva. I can't believe you know Elvis Presley. Calmed the little guy right down."

"Dod Tony is right. You sing pretty, Doda Ziva."

"Toda, Tali."

"Elvis Presley, huh?" Gibbs replied as Tony walked to his desk. "Watched his movies when I was a kid. Preferred John Wayne myself though."

"The Duke? 'That'll be the day!'" Tony exclaimed mimicking John Wayne.

"The Duke of what?" Ziva and Tali asked simultaneously.

Gibbs smacked both Tony and Ziva on the head. Tali chuckled.

"Why did you smack me?" Ziva asked.

"For not knowing John Wayne movies. _The Searchers_—now that is a classic."

"I like him," Tali chuckled in Hebrew.

Gibbs looked at the smiling six year old. He kneeled down next to her. "Hi Tali. Wanna go downstairs and hang out with DJ and Abby?"

"Why are they hanging outside?" Tali asked confusion written on her face.

"He means 'do you want to play with DJ?' He is downstairs with Abby in her lab," Ziva replied.

"Oh. Why couldn't he say that in the first place?" Tali asked in Hebrew. "English is so weird," she said in English.

"Yes, it is. You can go with Gibbs."

"Is Jakob coming, too?"

"I think he will want to see with me. He is rather calm right now, yes?"

"Okay. Shalom, Doda Ziva."

Tali took Gibbs' hand, and they walked back to the elevator.

As they watched Tali and their boss enter the elevator, a really foul smell permeated their senses.

Yikes, bit of a cliffhanger. Don't worry, I know what's going on. That song is from _GI Blues_. Watch it, it is an awesome movie. The John Wayne quote is from _The Searchers_. One of the best American actors ever. Okay, see you next chapter! Maylee


	8. Tony vs the Baby

Okay, another long delay between updates

Okay, another long delay between updates! Es tut mir Leid! I am sorry! Olympics, writer's block, and a twisted ankle are my excuses. Yeah, twisted my ankle cause I fell out of a tree trying to rescue my kitten. Just a little bit crazy, aren't I? Anyway, here is chapter eight!

Chapter Eight:

Tony versus the baby

"Aw man, Probie!," Tony groaned. "What did you eat this morning? That is disgusting."

"Ah, Tony?" McGee questioned. "That wasn't me."

"What do you mean?" Tony looked at Ziva and down at Jakob. The little tyke was giggling.

"Oh come on!" Tony groaned again, grabbing his nose.

"Your turn Dod Tony," Ziva said, handing him the diaper bag.

"Huh?"

"I calmed him down. You get to change his diaper. I have a statement to write."

"I don't know how to change a diaper!" Tony exclaimed as Ziva handed Jakob off to him and went to her own desk.

McGee was trying awfully hard not to laugh. "You better learn how to quickly. Cause that is nasty."

"Ziva, you owe me big time for this." Tony looked down at the still giggling Jakob. "What are you laughing at?" The baby just gurgled.

Ziva had a big smile on her face.

Tony's gaze landed on McGee. "Hey Probster. You've done this before. A little help?"

"What do I get out of it?" McGee asked. He was enjoying every bit of this moment despite the smell.

"Fine. Next time you and Abby want some alone time, I'll baby sit DJ."

McGee pretended to think about it for a while. "Fine. Come with me." He looked down at Jakob and smirked at Ziva. "I guess it takes a real man to change the little man's diaper."

Ziva laughed evilly. "I am sure he will get used to it, yes?"

Tony glared at her. "Let's go, Elf Lord, before I start to vomit."

The trio made their way to the men's room. Gibbs made his way back to the bullpen.

"Where did Probie and DiNozzo go?"

"Diaper duty," Ziva said simply, passive look on her face.

Gibbs let a small grin cross his face. "Training him already?"

Ziva nodded with a smile to match.

"Good for you, David."

"How can a little baby make such an awful smell?" Tony whined, pinching his nose in disgust as McGee removed the diaper.

"How can a grown man whine like a baby?" he shot back as he tossed the dirty diaper in the waste basket.

Tony glared at him. "I do not whine, McGeek." His voice sounded rather amusing since he was still pinching his nose shut.

"Sure you don't," McGee muttered. "Any baby wipes in that bag?"

"Any what?" Tony asked. "Why did she stick me with changing dirty diapers? I don't know anything about babies!"

"Really? Cause you're acting like one right now."

"McGee?"

"Yeah, Tony?"

Tony smacked him on the head. "Shut up and help me!"

McGee sighed and rummaged in the diaper bag. "These Tony are baby wipes. You wipe them on the baby's bottom to get all the poop off him."

"Okay," Tony said, taking it all in. "Now the diaper?"

McGee showed him how to properly secure the diaper on little Jakob's butt. "And there we go. Very simple. And he's been a good boy all this time."

"I owe you big time, McGoo."

"No problem. Anything else you want tips on?"

"Ah…no." Tony picked up the little guy. "You are a rather handsome boy, aren't you? Don't worry. I will teach you how to be a real lady killer. The DiNozzo charm works every time."

Jakob gurgled with delight at his new uncle as the trio exited the men's room.

"Learn anything, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked when they returned to the bullpen.

"Yeah, next time I'll let Ziva do the dirty work."

Ziva crinkled her nose at him with a "_Don't you dare put it all on me!"_ look. "It was fun letting you do the hard work."

"Yeah," Tony groaned looking at Jakob. "Lucky he's such a handsome fella. He's gonna be a real heart breaker when he grows up."

Tony lifted Jakob up over his head. "Woosh! Here comes Jakob the airplane in for a landing…Yek!"

Ziva couldn't help but laugh as she grabbed the nearest box of tissues. Jakob had spat up (or down) all over Tony's face and shirt. She reached for Jakob and started wiping the spit up off his face.

"Shoulda known he'd make my life miserable," Tony muttered. "He is your nephew after all."

"You know you love him," Ziva retorted back at him, still laughing at his expense. "Okay, little one, we need to get you into a new outfit." She looked at Tony. "Spit up is not a good look for you, my little hairy butt."

"Tell that to Jakob."

"DiNozzo! Change your shirt and get back to work!"

"On it Boss!"

Poor Tony. That baby is out to get him. What do you think? Jakob does more funny things and someone is gonna get a black eye soon. Who will it be? Wait and see! Hey, that rhymed! Okay, back to business. I noticed that the ending on the last chapter was a bit fuzzy, so I am changing that line to make it clearer. Das ist alles fuer heute! Maylee


	9. Tali's Tantrum

Okay, now another chapter. I promise Jakob will do more funny things to Ziva and Tony. And someone will get a black eye soon, just not in this chapter. Sorry! Now the next installment…

Chapter Nine:

Tali's Tantrum

Ziva went down to the lab to fetch Tali after she typed and printed her statement. She found her niece seated on Abby's rolling chair, spinning it around and around. It was making Ziva dizzy watching her.

Abby was hard at work examining evidence from the accident earlier this morning. She was hardly paying attention to Tali.

"Doda Ziva!" Tali exclaimed loudly, waking up DJ from his nap. "Aunt Abby gave me some of her drink! It was so good!" she rambled in a mix of Hebrew and English. "Then she let me spin around and around on her chair until I got dizzy and-"

"Okay," Ziva interrupted as Abby rushed to calm down the crying DJ. "Sounds like you had fun. But I think I need to have a talk with Aunt Abby about the Caff Pows."

Abby made a face as Ziva mentioned the uber-caffeinated drink. She knew she was in trouble.

"It was my idea, Doda Ziva. Do not get angry at Aunt Abby."

Ziva looked down at her niece. "Okay. I will not get angry at Abby. But I need to get you upstairs so that you can talk to Gibbs about what happened this morning."

"I don't want to," Tali muttered in Hebrew.

"Tali," Ziva said looking down at her sternly. "We need to go."

"No! You can't make me! You're not my Ima!"

Ziva was shocked. She bent down to her niece's level. She had tears in her eyes and her bottom lip was quivering. Her little fists were balled up in anger. Abby smartly decided to take herself and her son into her office.

"You know what?" Ziva said to her. "You're right. I'm not your Ima. And I know that I will never replace her. I don't want to replace her. But she wanted me to take care of you and your brother. That's what I'm trying to do. I know it's going to be hard, but it will help us catch the bad guy who did this to her."

Ziva did not want to tell her that she suspected that her father was the culprit, but she suspected that Tali knew already.

"Aba?" Tali muttered. "He's the bad guy."

"Yes. So, will you help us find him?"

"I will try," Tali said, wiping her tears with her hands. She then wrapped her arms around Ziva.

Ziva returned the hug. "If it gets too hard to talk, just tell me, okay?"

"Okay, Aunt Ziva."

"Okay," Ziva said getting up off of the floor. "Ready?"

Tali took her hand and nodded. The duo walked out of the lab and back to the elevator.

Abby walked back into her lab with her son sleeping on her shoulder. She laid her son back in his play pen. She had a secret smile on her face as she went back to work on the evidence.

"I never doubted you, Ziva."

"Okay," Gibbs said as Tali got comfortable at Ziva's desk. "I know that this will hurt Tali, but we need you to tell us what happened before your Ima died. Okay?"

Tali nodded. "We were at home in Israel. Ima was home too. Aba was working on a mission for Mossad. She told me Aba was a bad man. I did not want to believe her, but she was so sad. She told me to pack my clothes and help her with Jakob. We got in a car and went to the airport in Tel Aviv. We went to England. She wrote a letter while I was asleep. Then we came to America. Then Ima got scared and ran out to a car. We rode to the Em—the Em"

"The Israeli Embassy?" Gibbs supplied.

"Yes. We dropped our stuff off and got in a different car. They took us where you found us Doda Ziva. Ima stayed with us for a while then went to watch for bad guys. Then Doda Ziva found us."

"You're doing good Tali. Can you remember anything else?"

Tali shook her head. "Sorry."

"That's okay, Tali. Why don't you take some of Doda Ziva's paper and draw while I talk to her and Tony."

"Okay Uncle Gibbs."

Gibbs gave her a pencil and crayons to draw with and pulled Ziva and Tony to the side. "Ziva? Any ideas who did this to your sister?"

"Imran. Her husband. She told me in a letter that he was a double agent working with Hamas."

"You have this letter to prove that?"

"Yeah, in my desk. I translated it to English." She moved to her desk as Tali was coloring stick people. She opened the drawer and grabbed the letter and translation. She handed both to Gibbs.

"Okay. Here's what's gonna happen. Ziva, you get to the Embassy and get the stuff Zavi left for the children. Then go home. Tony, stay with her. Take care of those kids. They need you right now."

"Yes Boss!" Ziva and Tony echoed. Ziva gently lifted Jakob from his carrier. He moaned a little in her arms, but snuggled close to his aunt. Ziva grabbed the carrier while Tony pried Tali from Ziva's desk.

"Ready to go home?" Tony asked her.

Tali nodded sleepily. It had been a long day for all of them. Tony picked his new niece up and carried her out of the bullpen, Ziva following with Jakob.

There you go everyone! Kapitel Neun is in the books. What happens next? Stay tuned for the next chapter! Maylee


	10. Eyes on the Embassy

Next chapter is up

Next chapter is up. Yay me. Lot has been happening for me over the last few days, but I managed to get this chapter up. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter Ten:

Eyes on the Embassy

The ride from NCIS to the Israeli Embassy was a quiet affair. Despite Tony's attempts to make small talk with Tali and Ziva, his conversation fell on dead ears. He glanced over at Ziva as he pulled into the Embassy parking lot. She was sitting stoically, her mind elsewhere throughout the ride. Tony could tell that she was trying to get her feelings in check before she walked in.

Tony put the car in park and reached over to squeeze Ziva's hand in quiet reassurance. She squeezed back gently in response and got out of the car, still not saying a word to him. He watched her back side as she walked out of the parking lot and disappeared into the Embassy doors.

Tony took to scanning the area around him, checking for any suspicious activity. He could see the cars moving down the street, various people milling about their business on the sidewalk. A few cars and taxi cabs pulled up every once in a while as he watched. Off to his right, a man leaned on his car, arguing in some language that Tony's ears could not pinpoint though he was loud enough for Tony to hear.

Tony's gaze had moved on from the man with the cell when he felt Tali tugging on his arm sleeve. "What's wrong, Tali?"

"That man talking on the phone just said some bad words in Arabic," she whispered.

"So?"

"He is talking about Mossad and 'that David whore.' What is he talking about, Dod Tony?"

Tony silently swore. He had an idea what the man was talking about. He whipped out his cell phone and sent a quick text message to Ziva. Then he snapped a quick pick of the man and dialed Gibbs.

"Gibbs, Hamas is staking out the Embassy. I do not know if they have ID'ed Ziva yet. I saw a man arguing over a cell phone. Tali told me it was Arabic, and he was saying some bad words about Mossad and the 'David whore.'"

"That doesn't prove anything DiNozzo. David is a common surname in Israel. You better have better proof than that."

"I know Boss," Tony replied. "Hang on a second, Tali wants something."

"Dod Tony, he just said Ima's name!"

"Did you get that, Gibbs?" Tony asked.

"Yeah."

"I got a pic of him. I'm going to send it to Abby."

"Good." Gibbs hung up.

"Did I do something bad? Ima always said it was not nice to snoop on other's conversations."

"Your Ima was right. But this time, you did very good. Ima would be very proud of you."

"I miss her." The tears started flowing down Tali's cheeks once more.

"I know you do. But I'm sure she wouldn't want you to cry about it." _Damn, he was no good at comforting children. What was he trying to do?_ "She would want you to be a big girl, right?"

"Ken."

Tony smiled at her. "Don't worry, Sweetheart. Auntie Ziva and Uncle Tony will take care of you and Jakob."

Ziva entered the Embassy and automatically found the welcome desk. A woman was sitting at the desk, speaking over the phone in Hebrew. Ziva waited patiently for her to finish.

"Ziva David. I am here to see Officer Bashan."

The lady turned to her phone again. "Go right on up Miss David. He has been expecting you."

"Toda." Ziva walked to the elevator and pressed the floor number for Officer Bashan's level.

She spent the elevator ride once again trying to keep her feelings in check. She was fully composed when she stepped out.

"Miss David?" the secretary asked. Ziva nodded. "Go right on in. Officer Bashan is expecting you."

"Toda," she stiffly replied as she stepped into the office. Michael Bashan greeted her with a hug.

"Ziva I am glad to see you well. I trust that Zavi and her kids made it to you safely?"

"The kids are safe, yes. Zavi died before I could save her." Ziva drooped her head down slightly, trying to control herself.

"Ziva, I am so sorry for your loss. I always considered you and your sister my own and loved you just as much."

"I appreciate that Michael," Ziva replied.

"You came for Zavi's belongings, yes?"

"Yes."

"I will have someone send them straight away. If you will excuse me."

Michael left to attend to the matter at hand. Ziva took a seat in front of his desk. She jumped ever so slightly as her cell phone vibrated. She flipped her cell open and saw the text from Tony.

_Being watched. Be careful. T._

Ziva flipped her phone shut as Michael returned. "Zavi's luggage is being sent to the lobby. Take care of those children Ziva."

"I will. Shalom, Michael."

Michael hugged her once more and sent her back down to the lobby. She quickly grabbed Zavi's stuff and left the Embassy.

Okay, a little bit of a filler and a bit dull I will admit. But at least it is up. Next chapter will be up soon. Cheers, Maylee


	11. Operation Stalker

Okay, another so-so chapter, but the plot thickens

Okay, another so-so chapter, but the plot thickens. Who is this crazy man watching the Embassy? What connections does he have to Imran/Kharyym? Read on and ye shall find out!

Chapter Eleven:

Operation Stalker

Tony was still keeping a discrete eye on the man when he spotted Ziva walking out of the Embassy, bags in hand. The man continued to argue away on the cell phone, but Tony could tell that his eyes were alert for any sight of suspicious activity.

Tony motioned for Tali to be quiet as he got out of the car to help Ziva load the bags. Out of the corner of his eye, he could still see the man with the cell phone. His sharp eyes were starting to take in the scene around him. Ziva, in particular, was spiking his interest.

Tony embraced Ziva when she approached. "How'd everything go, Babe?" he asked unlocking the trunk. He whispered to her: "Guy behind me with cell phone."

Ziva acknowledged him with a simple nod. "Boring, as usual. I hate presenting my reports in person. I would rather put them in writing." Ziva got the message and was playing along with the ruse for now. Tony was going to get hell later for calling her "Babe" though, he could sense it.

"Part of the job though, right?" Tony replied. "C'mon. Let's get outta here. The kids are getting restless in the back seat. He loaded the last of the bags in the trunk and motioned for Ziva to get in the passenger seat.

"You do know our stalker is going to follow us, yes?" Ziva asked quietly as Tony got in the driver's seat of his Mustang.

"I figured as much. We'll lead him right to the Navy Yard."

"Good plan. I will call Gibbs."

"I sent Abby a pic of the man talking on the cell phone. She's gonna run him through the facial recognition software."

"Okay."

Gibbs was in Jen's office rocking his daughter to sleep when his cell phone rang. He handed Shannon to Jen and answered.

"David, you better have a damned good reason to interrupt me," he barked into the receiver.

"Gibbs, our 'friend' is tailing us back to the Navy Yard. He is half a kilometer behind us in a black Charger."

"Figured he would. We'll get down there and nail the guy. How far out are you guys?"

"With Tony's driving, twenty minutes," Ziva replied.

Gibbs could hear Tony muttering in the background about Ziva's driving skills or lack thereof. "Meet you at the entry."

"Ziva and Tony?"

"Their friend is following them here." Gibbs stroked his daughter's cheek and stepped out of Jen's office.

"McGee, gear up and follow me."

"On it, Boss."

McGee quickly followed him to the elevator. Gibbs quickly filled him in on the situation at hand. They took one of the dark blue sedans to the main entrance of the Navy Yard, Gibbs barreling down the roads at breakneck speed, screeching to a stop five minutes later.

McGee, still a little green from the harrowing speeds, quickly got out of the car as Gibbs motioned for him to take his position.

Tony and Ziva entered the Navy Yard four minutes later in Tony's Mustang. Gibbs motioned for Tony to join him.

"Go to HQ and get the kids down with Abby and DJ," Tony muttered. "When it's clear, we'll go home. Love you, Sweetcheeks."

The duo broke their embrace and Ziva got in the driver's seat, and put the car in gear. She sped off at a not so rapid pace much to Tony's surprise.

"Here, DiNozzo," Gibbs ordered him to his position.

Tony nodded that he understood and waited for Gibbs' orders.

The black Charger approached, and the guards flagged him down, asking for some kind of identification. The man's voice replied in accented English that he had an ID.

Gibbs motioned for Tony and McGee to approach the vehicle. He then crept slowly toward the car himself. He made it to the Driver's side door when Tony yelled, "NCIS! Get out of the car!"

McGee crept to the front of the car, his gun trained at the man's head. Gibbs trained his gun at the man from his angle.

"What is the meaning of this? I am simply here to visit a friend."

"Yeah, sure. That's why you followed me all the way from the Embassy," Tony muttered sarcastically as Gibbs pulled the man out of the car and cuffed him.

"I did not follow you. I do not even know who you are!"

"Well, we have you on suspicion of stalking. You're going to be getting friendly with us for a while, bud."

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" He started raving in Arabic.

McGee searched him for any weapons. He came up with a gun, two magazines, and a knife.

"Packing heavy just to see a friend, aren't you?" Tony quipped.

The man just sneered at him.

"McGee, have the car towed to the garage. I want to make sure your wife goes through it inch by inch."

"Abby'll love that, Boss," he replied dialing on his fancy phone or whatever he called the thingamabob.

"Just get it done, McGee," Gibbs said resisting the urge to smack the Probie on the head until they were back in the bullpen.

Tony bagged the weapons the man was packing. "Ready to go now, Boss?"

"Ya think? Let's put this guy on ice for a while."

"Gladly, Gibbs."

Well, still a little bit of a mystery we have here, yes? Keep reading for the answers. For all of those reading from the Gulf Coast that left because of Gustav, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Maylee


	12. Down to Business

Hey everybody

Hey everybody! Well, had a bit of trouble with my internet connection, but it's all sorted out. So here is a nice long chapter for you guys.

Chapter Twelve:

Down to Business

"So, did you have fun following me?" Ziva asked when the trio brought the stalker in, right past her in the hallway.

The man must have thought he had seen a ghost, but composed himself rather quickly.

Gibbs glared at her. _Stay outta this, David!_ She could hear him say in her head. Ziva carried on down the hall back to the bullpen.

"I was not following anyone. I got lost. Somehow I found myself on the Navy Yard with three guns to my head!"

"We have reason," Tony said, pushing him on ahead to the interrogation room. Gibbs stopped and motioned for McGee to keep going with Tony.

Gibbs stayed behind and followed her to the bullpen. "We will catch whomever did this to your sister. You just need to stay out of this for now."

"It was her husband, Imran Amir. She told me in that letter that he was Hamas working undercover in Mossad. Like Ari. She was so upset when she heard about Ari. She's the only person besides you and Tony who knows I killed him."

"We will run the prints on the knife. If it is him, we will nail him. Just take care of those children. Let us do the work."

"You know I can not sit while others do the work. I have to help as well."

"I have an idea, but it will have to wait until we nab the guy."

"Fine."

Jakob must have sensed her irritation from his carrier next to her. He scrunched up his face and started wailing. Ziva cringed at the assault the boy was making on her eardrums. Ziva made shushing sounds, but to no avail.

"I can not do this Gibbs! I am not a mother! I have no experience with kids!" Ziva exclaimed.

"Jakob doesn't care about that," Jenny said coming down from her office upon hearing the baby cry. Shannon was sound asleep on her hip. "You're stressing out, and he's picking up on it. He just wants to know that he's loved. So calm down and hold your nephew. Let him know it's going to be okay."

Jenny was right, of course. Ziva quickly changed the subject as Jakob's cries grew louder. She looked at him and stroked his cheek. He calmed slightly at the contact. "Tali finally pass out in your office?"

"On the sofa. How'd she get so hyper anyway?"

"Abby. Caff-Pow. You do the arithmetic."

"Math, Ziva," Jenny corrected with a smile.

"Same difference," she replied as Jakob let out another wail. Shannon started stirring as well.

Jenny started rocking her daughter slowly, calming the little girl down and rubbing her back. "You're okay," she soothed her.

_I can do this_, Ziva thought as she bent down to pick up her sobbing nephew. She tried the shushing sounds again, humming a little as she rocked him back and forth in her arms. "I won't let anything happen to you, little one. You're safe with me," she whispered to him in Hebrew.

She sat back down in her chair, still holding Jakob against her chest. She was amazed that the little guy had finally calmed down and was gurgling happily in her arms. "That was not so bad, was it?" she said to herself and the child. He smiled, showing his hardened gums. He was starting to teeth, Ziva thought.

"I am new at this too. Do not worry, Jakob. We will learn together, yes?"

Jakob giggled at grabbed a fistful of her hair. "You like my hair?"

He responded by pulling hard. "Ouch! Okay, I guess you do. Sorry, but Doda Ziva needs it back now." She gently pulled her hair away from him before he could stick it in his mouth. "Are you telling me that you are hungry?"

He chewed on his fist in response. "I take it that is a yes?"

Ziva got up, still supporting her nephew, and searched in the diaper bag for a bottle of formula. She found one easily. "Okay, here we go, tyke. Eat up."

Jakob immediately latched on to the bottle, his fingers curling around it as he drank from the bottle.

Ziva gently caressed his hands as she fed him, marveling at how soft his skin was. His eyes were his mother's, softest brown she had ever seen, like molten chocolate. They shined with love as he stared up at his aunt.

"So Jakob, how am I doing so far?"

He just continued eating, his eyes starting to droop as he grew sleepy. _I guess I am doing all right_, she thought with a smile as she slowly rocked him.

"Gibbs! I got a positive ID on the suspect!" Abby said over the phone with delight as she looked at the results of her facial recognition test. She glanced over at her son who was playing with a toy microscope.

"And?"

"Hakeem Al-Yousef. Born in Al Karak, Jordan. Moved to Ram Allah in Israel twelve years ago. Current address unknown. Tagged by INTERPOL as suspected Hamas operative. Guess we just proved INTERPOL's suspicions."

"Ya think, Abs?"

Abby smiled. Then she looked over at her son who was trying to get out of his playpen. "You stay in there, Mister!"

"Abby?"

"Sorry, Gibbs. DJ is going through the terrible two phase. I'll let you know when I have more."

"Good work Abs." Gibbs hung up on her.

"You're welcome," she said into the speaker. She placed the phone back in the cradle and turned to her son. "What did I tell you about trying to get out of the playpen without Mommy or Daddy's permission?"

"Pay wid Mommy," DJ pouted, "on 'puter."

"Mommy's not playing on the computer. She's working."

"No! Wann pay wid 'puter!"

"Sorry, not right now, Baby. Maybe you can ask Daddy when he comes down here to play with you on the computer."

"Wann pay wid you, Mommy!"

"I have an idea!" Abby said. "How about we play the quiet game?"

"Qu'it game?" DJ asked, tantrum over for now. "How pay?"

"We see who can be quiet for the longest. The winner gets a cookie when we get home. Sound like fun?"

DJ nodded.

"The game starts: now!"

DJ held his mouth shut and went back to his toys. Abby sighed, now she could get back to work.

"So, Mister Yousef, wanna tell me why you were stalking my agents?" Gibbs asked Yousef in the interrogation room. Tony and McGee were in the Observation Room, peering through the one-way glass.

If Yousef was rattled that they knew his name, he covered it really well. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I was not stalking your agents. Mere coincidence."

"Coincidence?" Gibbs repeated. "Coincidence, you say?" Gibbs leaned back in his chair. "So if I buy what you are saying, it was coincidence that you followed my agents, coincidence that your passport is flagged by INTERPOL, and coincidence that you are suspected as a Hamas operative? And coincidence that you were hanging out at the Embassy before we caught you?"

"Of course," Yousef replied.

Gibbs let a smirk cross his face. "I don't believe in coincidences. You were looking for something. I know that you were looking for that woman's kids. Believe me, you not gonna get them."

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I was waiting for a friend outside the Embassy. I thought that your agents' car belonged to my friend. I was mistaken."

"Sure." Gibbs got up from his seat. "Would this friend happen to be Imran Amir?"

"I do not know anyone by that name."

"You would not happen to be lying to me?"

:"I have no reason to lie to you. I have nothing to hide."

Gibbs grabbed the folder. "We'll see about that." He exited the interrogation room. He walked into the observation room. "Keep that guy on ice. Let's go see Abby and see what she's got on Amir."

The two agents followed him to the elevator and down to the lab. Abby was hard at work running prints through AFIS that she had pulled from the knife Imran used to stab Zavi in the leg. She had no idea that Tony, McGee, and Gibbs were in her lab until…

"Daddy!" DJ yelled, startling Abby from her computer. "Unca Gibbs! Unca Tony!"

"Hey there little guy. Keeping Mommy company?" McGee asked ruffling his son's dark hair.

"Payin games. I losted."

"How?"

"I tak when Mommy woking. No cukie for me."

"Nope," Abby said turning around. "No cookie for you."

"Maybe Uncle Tony can sneak you a cookie," Tony said dramatically in a stage whisper.

"I heard that, Tony," Abby replied.

Tony just smiled.

"So ya got anything for me Abs?" Gibbs asked.

"I pulled a foreign print from the knife. I'm running it now. I didn't get any hits on the name Imran Amir, so I'm thinking that's an alias. I also ran the bullet that Ducky recovered from the body. 45 caliber from Zavi's Jericho. I also got prints on it as well."

"A lot of those prints will probably be Zavi's," Tony said.

"DJ, do you wanna hit your uncle on the head or should I?" Abby jokingly asked her son.

"Wann do it."

Tony lowered his head so DJ could smack it. He did, making Tony wince at the impact the child's tiny fist made with his head.

"Good one, DJ. You'll make a great Special Agent. You'd keep Uncle Tony in line."

"Tank you, Unca Gibbs."

"When did you teach him that?"

"I didn't," Abby replied with a grin.

"Don't look at me," McGee added.

"Had to teach someone all my tricks. Shannon will learn too."

"And Jakob and Tali will become crazy ninja people like their aunt," Tony groaned. "I am so in for a rough time."

"Daddy? Can I play on 'puter now?"

"Maybe when we get home, DJ."

"Pay Wa'Caft?"

"Timothy McGee! You let him play World of War Craft?" Abby asked in shock as Gibbs and Tony ducked out of the lab on the way to see Ducky.

"He likes it!" McGee fired back.

Tony and Gibbs didn't hear Abby's response as they found their way to Autopsy on the floor below Abby's lab.

"Ah, Jethro, Anthony. Always a pleasure."

"Do we have a COD, Duck?"

"Ah yes of course. Single gunshot to the left lung. It went straight through and into her heart. An excruciating death for her, I'm afraid. To make matters worse, the poor dear was stabbed in the femoral artery of her left leg. It would have bled out in minutes had she not kept the knife in to stem the bleeding. Tony, are you all right, lad?"

"She just looks too much like Ziva, Ducky. It's hard to see Zavi here on this cold slab and not think that it's Ziva. I'll be okay in a minute," Tony swallowed.

"Yes, it is rather nerve-wracking I suppose. Reminds me of a time when I did an autopsy on a man I swore was the spitting image of Prince Albert…"

"Thanks, Ducky," Gibbs said thoroughly avoiding the story with a nod and a timely exit.

"Probie still arguing with the wife upstairs?" Tony wondered as they made their way back to the elevator.

"Take Ziva and the kids home, DiNozzo. I don't want to see her here, tomorrow. Got it?"

"Yes Boss."

I feel sorry for Tony. And I'm the one writing this story! Hope you enjoyed this nice, long chapter. Until next time! Maylee


	13. Black Eye, Bad Dreams

Okay, unlucky thirteen is up

Okay, unlucky thirteen is up. Funny though, thirteen has always been a lucky number for me. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter Thirteen:

Black Eye, Bad Dreams

Gibbs walked upstairs to Jen's office to wake Tali. Ziva was still in the bullpen tending to her infant nephew so Gibbs offered to get Tali.

The little girl was still sacked out on Jen's sofa. It looked as if she was having a nightmare by the way her eyes were darting around under her eyelids. Either that or she was having a very active dream. Gibbs didn't think so. He could hear her talking softly in her sleep, mostly in Hebrew.

He gently nudged her arm. "Tali? Wake up, it's time to go."

Tali jumped in shock, still half asleep. She started thrashing about on the sofa, Gibbs tried to calm her down.

WHACK!

Gibbs made a small wince as Tali's small fist made contact with his right eye. Tali's eyes shot open as she became aware of her surroundings.

"Uncle Gibbs! I am sorry! Please do not hurt me!" she pleaded, tears forming in her eyes.

"It's okay, Tali. I'm not going to hurt you. You just surprised me. You know, you pack one hell of a punch there, kiddo."

"I do?"

"Yep. Now your Aunt Ziva and Uncle Tony are waiting downstairs to take you and your brother home."

"Okay. Did I hurt you bad?"

"No, it's okay. Just a little bruise. It don't even hurt anymore."

Gibbs took her hand and led her down the stairs. Once he got to the bullpen, he saw Jakob was fussing a little bit. Ziva was bouncing him on her hip trying to soothe him.

"The little guy's got gas. Have you burped him yet?" he asked when he reached Ziva.

"Burped him?" she repeated. "I do not know how to do that."

Gibbs looked in Jakob's diaper bag and pulled out a blanket. He draped it over her shoulder. "Put him over your shoulder and gently pat his back."

Ziva did so.

Tony looked at her with a grin as she did so. "Hope it doesn't come out the other end," he said. "That would be bad."

Ziva whacked him in the head.

"You beat me to it that time, Ziva," Gibbs smirked.

"We ready to go now, Tali?" Tony asked his niece.

"Yep," she replied echoing Gibbs then laughing when her little brother let out a loud burp.

"My kinda guy," Tony quipped as he grabbed Jakob's carrier and diaper bag. Tali grabbed Tony's hand and the foursome walked out of the bullpen.

McGee walked back into the bullpen from the elevator, waving to Tony and Ziva as they entered the elevator. He had a rather forlorn expression on his face, much like he hallways had when he and Abby had an argument. Gibbs knew that they would make up eventually. Abby loved him too much to stay mad at him for long.

McGee walked on into the bullpen and sat at his desk. Then, he looked up at Gibbs. His forlorn expression turned to one of incredulity. "Boss?" he started.

"Ya McGee?"

"Ah, where'd you get the shiner?"

"A pretty lady hit me."

"Why?"

"Woke her from a bad dream."

"Oh." McGee replied and turned back to his work.

Gibbs smirked. Yeah, like he was going to tell _Probie_ that Tali—six year old Tali—was the one who gave him the shiner. Not in this lifetime. Or any other.

It was late when they finally got Jakob and Tali to sleep. Tali had been set up in the spare room. Jakob was in a makeshift crib by the bed on Ziva's side so she could reach him easily should he cry in the middle of the night.

Tony fell asleep almost instantly, exhausted from the day's activities. Ziva was more so than her fiancée, but nightmares plagued her sleep. She kept seeing her sister dying in her arms over and over again in her sleep.

She woke again from yet another vision of her dead sister. She resigned herself to the fact that she wouldn't get any sleep tonight and rose from the bed, wrapping a robe around her as she checked on Jakob. He was sound asleep as well on his tummy.

Ziva walked into the kitchen and grabbed some water from the refrigerator. She turned on the television and started flipping through the channels idly, trying to find some movie to watch. She finally stopped when she saw a movie with John Wayne in it. Something about a woman having a bath with a cheetah and three men? Ziva was intrigued. It was a movie she had never seen before.

The woman "Dallas" had saved a baby elephant in the film when Ziva heard a cry in Hebrew. It was Tali. When she heard her niece cry out again, Ziva knew that she wasn't the only one that was having nightmares about Zavi's death.

She walked to her niece's room and saw her thrashing around in her bed, the covers thrown askew. Her forehead shone with a thin layer of sweat as she moaned in her sleep. Suddenly, she sat up, wide awake with a scream. "Ima!"

"Tali?" Ziva asked gently.

"Doda Ziva?" she asked confused.

"It is okay, Tali. It was just a bad dream. I have been having nightmares about her as well." Terrible nightmares, she added silently.

"Ziva? I heard a scream." Tony walked into the bedroom with a yawn. Jakob was on his hip, wide awake and looking around. "Is Tali all right?"

"Nightmares."

"Come on. I think I hear _Hatari!_ playing in the living room."

"That is the name of the movie? I have never seen it before."

"Tali will love it. It has baby elephants in it."

"Elephants?" Tali echoed. "Cool!"

They sat down together on the couch and watched the movie until Tali, Jakob, and Ziva fell asleep. Tony first put the infant down in his makeshift crib. Then, he gently picked up Tali and laid her in the bed, tucking her in.

Tony then lifted his fiancée up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom, pulling the robe off her.

"Tony?" she muttered, eyes opening slightly. "Kids asleep?"

"Yeah. Go back to sleep Sweetcheeks."

"Okay. Love you, my Little Hairy Butt," she muttered as she snuggled into her pillow.

"Love you too, Ziva." He kissed her cheek and climbed into the bed next to her. Ziva automatically moved closer to him, seeking his warmth. He wrapped an arm around her and closed his eyes, falling back asleep as well.

Another chapter down. Trust me; things are about to heat up in this story. You know the drill. Cheers! Maylee


	14. Morning Chaos

I know it has been a little while, so here is a nice fluffy chapter plus a little chaos that only children can create

I know it has been a little while, so here is a nice fluffy chapter plus a little chaos that only children can create. Took thirteen chapters for one day! Wow! Well, here is day two of the case. Have fun!

Chapter Fourteen:

Morning Chaos

"DJ, wakey, wakey!" Abby called walking into her son's room and turning on the light. She saw him wiggle around a little. His eyes were still closed. He was pretending to be asleep. "I know you can't be still sleeping," she said with a grin as she advanced on him.

She heard a faint giggle. "Still sleeping?" She sat on the edge of his "big boy" bed. "I can fix that!" And she pounced.

DJ shrieked in surprise and delight. "Okay Mommy! I awake!"

"Are you sure?" Abby asked him. "I can always tickle you some more!" And she did.

He laughed. "Mommy!"

"Come on, Daddy's got breakfast going."

"Pancakes?"

"You'll have to get up and see."

DJ was up and running in a flash.

"Donovan Jethro! Don't run in the house!" she chased after him. "I'm getting too old for this!"

"You are not," Tim replied as she entered the kitchen. "You're beautiful as always."

"Flattery might've gotten you somewhere if I wasn't so tired, Timothy McGee."

"You just got up, Abs."

"You chase after him then!"

"Sorry, honey." He pulled her into a hug.

"Don't call me honey," Abby muttered into his chest. "And you know what Gibbs says about saying sorry."

"It's a sign of weakness," Tim answered flatly.

"Mommy! Daddy! Gotta go potty!" DJ cried, tugging on his daddy's pajama bottoms. He was jumping up and down doing the "pee-pee" dance.

"Here we go again," Abby sighed. "Come on, Mommy'll go with you." She took her son's hand and led him to the bathroom. "I'll feel sorry for Ziva and Tony when it's time to potty train Jakob," she said to herself.

"How does Abby deal with her child every morning?" Ziva groaned as she tried once more to get Jakob to eat his applesauce. He kept pushing it away or tossing it on himself or on her. He seemed more interested in her hair than his food.

At least Tali was not giving Ziva or Tony much of a fight. She was a little cranky—very like Ziva, Tony replied with a smirk—but she was fine once she got her breakfast and orange juice. She kept eating her cereal without much fuss.

Ziva was still in her pajamas. Her hair was tangled up from sleep and Jakob's numerous attempts to grab it and stuff it in his mouth. She had yet to eat her breakfast or have a drink of coffee. She was getting cranky herself.

And Tony was little help as he helped himself to a cup of coffee and a chocolate muffin, though he was a cute distraction wearing nothing but his boxers. At least he had his work to get his mind off of things. Gibbs didn't want to see her in today according to Tony.

Splat! A bit of Jakob's apple sauce landed on her top. Ziva sighed and turned to Tony. "Will you try to get Jakob to eat while I grab a washcloth?"

Tony took the little spoon. Ziva walked to the utility closet, grabbed a washcloth, and headed for the bathroom to clean up the applesauce. She easily wiped it off her top and wrung the cloth.

That was when she heard a crash coming from the kitchen.

Ziva jumped into action mode. She ran into the kitchen, ready to take on whatever nemesis had dared intrude on her home.

What she found in the kitchen left her in a state of shock.

Tony watched as Ziva left the kitchen, searching for a washcloth, her rear swaying nicely. He smiled stupidly then turned to his nephew. "Okay little guy. Chow time."

Jakob firmly kept his mouth shut as Tony pulled the little spoon of applesauce from the jar and hovered it around the infant's mouth. "Come on, Jakob, open up the hangar. Let the airplane in."

He whined, turning away from the applesauce. "Please for Uncle Tony?" he made a pouting face. "It's good for you. See, Uncle Tony'll eat it." He put the spoon in his mouth. "Yummy. Now, your turn."

He dipped the spoon in the applesauce one more time and held it up to Jakob. He swiped at the spoon. It careened away from Tony's hand. The spoon landed harmlessly on the table.

The sauce landed on Tali's arm. "Jakob!" she exclaimed, scooping up the sauce from her arm.

"Tali, don't you do it!" Tony warned, reaching to stop her.

Too late. Tali reared back and launched the applesauce. Tony ducked out of the way, but fell out of his chair. His feet connected with the table, flipping it over. He sent food all over the table and him. He looked at the children.

They were fine. In fact, they were laughing. And Ziva—

She stood there in shock. "Tony, what in the world is going on?" She was ticked off, Tony just knew that her temper was about to rear its ugly head.

"Uh, sitting on the floor covering myself in food?" he said sheepishly looking at Ziva.

Ziva opened her mouth.

Tony braced himself for the scolding--

And was totally caught off guard when Ziva started laughing.

"She's lost it," Tony muttered.

"I have not," Ziva replied still laughing in spite of the situation. "This scene is just too funny for words. I have never seen you covered in applesauce and Cheerios."

"Yeah," Tony said darkly. "Let's all have a laugh at Uncle Tony's expense." He stood up from the mess in the kitchen. "Now I have to take another shower."

"And leave me to clean up after you?"

"I didn't start it!" Tony exclaimed. "It was those two."

Ziva turned to Tali. "You want to tell me what happened?"

"Dod Tony was feeding Jakob. He flung the spoon on the table. The applesauce got on me. I threw it back at him. Dod Tony fell out of his chair and knocked the table over. It was my fault, Doda Ziva."

"Is that true, Tony?"

"Yeah, she's telling the truth. I'm heading for the bathroom." Tony kissed her cheek, prompting an "ew!" from Tali.

Tony chuckled as he went for the bathroom.

Ziva sent Tali to change her clothes and finally got Jakob to eat enough of the applesauce to satisfy her. He was now chewing on the washcloth she had used to clean his face. He was happy and quiet for the time being. Ziva could have her breakfast and coffee. Finally.

At least her kitchen was clean again. Since Tali had started the whole thing by throwing her cereal, her punishment was to help Ziva clean the kitchen. She had run the mop across the floor while Ziva put the table and chairs back in place and washed the dishes. Tali dried the dishes. Then, she helped clean her little brother's face of all the applesauce.

"So Sweetcheeks, finally get a moment of quiet?" Tony said coming up behind her, sliding his arms around her shoulders.

"Yes." She leaned into his embrace. "You should be heading to work, yes?"

"Yeah. So what are you going to be doing since you can't come into work?"

"I guess I need to go shopping," Ziva said. "Jakob needs a real crib. Tali's room needs to be decorated. They both need clothes. I will also buy some toys and books. As for me, I have yet to look at wedding gowns. We are getting married in a month after all."

Tony nodded as he kissed her temple. "Can't believe it's coming up so fast."

"Neither can I. I also need to go grocery shopping. This little guy can not live on applesauce and milk forever."

"Sounds like you have a full day ahead of you."

"Meet us for lunch?"

"If Gibbs'll let me," Tony said as Tali walked out of her room.

"If you do not leave now, you will not have a job to leave for lunch. Now go."

"Love you, ladies," Tony said kissing his niece on the cheek and repeating the gesture for Ziva. He looked at his nephew. "Be good for Aunt Ziva, Little Man." He ruffled his hair, then walked out of the apartment.

Coming up soon:

Kharyym/Imran is captured

More chaos (of the dangerous kind) ensues

A kidnapping!

I know, I'm mean. Keeps you reading though, right? Okay, you know the drill. Aufwiedersehen! Maylee


	15. With Jen and Gibbs

Sorry, this chapter is waaaay too short

Sorry, this chapter is waaaay too short!! And as for the gap between updates, well internet issues and writer's block. I'm still using dial-up even though my laptop has a wireless modem. The sad truth: I have no job so I can't afford to have a wireless network set up in my home. Anyway, here is the SHORT next chapter.

Chapter Fifteen:

With Jen and Gibbs

Jen held the phone to her ear as she fed Shannon some of her scrambled eggs that she seemed more content to play with than eat.

"I'll be in later, as soon as I can get Shannon to eat some of these eggs instead of play with them. By the way, where'd you get the black eye?" she asked the last with a grin.

"Ask a certain six year old when you see her," Gibbs replied. "Woke her from a nightmare. Scared her a bit."

"You let a six year old hit you?" Jen asked trying hard not to laugh.

"Go ahead and laugh. I know you're holding it in."

Jen let go despite herself. "Remind to tell Shannon all about it when she's older."

"Funny."

Jen snatched the fork from Shannon's hand before she could throw it. She whined a little, but calmed down instantly, when Jen fed her some more of the eggs.

"I'll let you get back to work now, Jethro. I know you have a bad guy to find."

"Yeah, Ziva's brother-in-law Imran Amar."

"If that is his real name."

"It's not. So Abby's been running prints through the INTERPOL database and AFIS."

"Anything yet?"

"No. But I'll let you know."

"Take care, Jethro."

"You too, Jen." Gibbs hung up.

Shannon finally had enough of the eggs and seemed more interested in her mom's necklace.

"Okay, I take it you are full." Jen pulled the plate away from her daughter and placed it in the sink. She wiped Shannon's face and took off her bib. Jen lifted her gently out of the high chair and carried her to her playpen so that she could play while her mommy changed to go to work.

"Gibbs."

"Hey Boss man!" Abby's excited voice came over the speaker. "I got a hit off the INTERPOL database."

"Be right down." Gibbs looked at Tony and McGee. "You two with me. Abby's got something."

The two scrambled from their desks to follow Gibbs to the elevator. When they arrived at Abby's lab, they were not greeted by the usual blaring heavy metal. It was playing, sure enough, but at a more tolerable decibel level.

"Abs, where's the loud music?" Tony asked with a grin.

"DJ's snoozing. I don't want to wake him."

"What do you got for us?"

"A name. Kharyym Al-Amir also known as our friend Imran Amar."

"McGee, Abby…"

"Find out everything we can about him," McGee finished.

"DiNozzo—"

"BOLO, check phone records. Got it Boss," Tony finished.

Gibbs smirked as he and DiNozzo walked back to the elevator to leave the computer geniuses to their gizmos and thingamabobs.

Yep, little Shannon Marie Gibbs acts up a little as well, but she is so sweet, right? Well, I don't know when I'll get the next chapter up, so wish me luck! Maylee


	16. Shopping Experience

Yay

Yay! My internet works again. I'm back! Anyway, time for a little bit of fun before the story gets hectic. How hectic…well I don't know yet. Have fun reading!

Chapter Sixteen:

Shopping Experience

"Doda Ziva?" Tali tugged on Ziva's sleeve as they walked into a toy store. "I'm getting hungry."

"You just ate two hours ago," she replied checking her watch. "It's not lunch time yet."

"Just a candy bar?" Tali pleaded.

"After we visit the toy store. You and Jakob need some toys." Ziva looked down at the infant in the stroller. He was happily chewing on a new teething ring. "You okay down there, Little Guy?"

Jakob giggled as he continued chewing on his ring.

"Doda Ziva?" Tali asked. "People are looking at us strangely."

"It's because we're not speaking English." Ziva switched to English. "So, what kind of toys did you like to play with at home?"

"I had a lot of stuffed animals at home. I really liked teddy bears," Tali said, speaking Hebrew again. "I am not really good at English yet."

"You are a child, Tali. You will learn quickly enough."

"Okay."

"I think I should get you one of those Leap Frog things I see on television. You can learn English that way as well as listening to Tony and me."

"Thank you."

"Okay, now let's get you and Jakob some toys, shall we?"

Tali laughed. "Okay, Doda Ziva."

"So, what other kind of toys would you like?"

"Can I have a toy gun and badge like yours?" Tali asked. "And a knife?"

"You want to be a spy like your Ima?"

"And my aunt," Tali added smiling at Ziva.

"I will see what I can do," Ziva replied as they turned down the aisle to the stuffed animals.

Tali looked down the aisle. "Wow! There are so many!"

"Wait are you waiting for, Tali? Go pick out a few that you like."

Tali immediately went for the stuffed pandas and pulled all of them off the shelf. Ziva smirked. "Just one panda, Tali."

"But I love them all," she replied, hugging them to her chest.

"Just one."

Tali pouted but picked one out of the five she was holding and put it in the cart. She picked out a brown bear and a few more stuffed animals.

They went to the doll section. Tali looked at the Barbie dolls with disgust and most of the other dolls. "They just don't look right," she told Ziva when she asked why she didn't like Barbie dolls. Ziva couldn't blame her; she wasn't fond of those dolls either.

Then for some reason Ziva couldn't fathom, Tali found a doll that she absolutely adored. It had a rather large head in proportion to the rest of its body, bright blue eyes, and a mass of fake hair on its head. It was called a "Cabbage Patch Baby." Ziva was sure she had an incredulous look on her face when Tali put the doll in the cart.

"Cabbage Patch?"

"I think she's cute, Doda Ziva." Ziva was sure this was what Tony would say was "so ugly it was cute," but went with it. Tali seemed to like the…thing anyway. That over, they moved away from the doll section. Tali instantly fell for the toy cars and bought several Hot Wheels that she was sure Tony would enjoy as much as Tali. Little Jakob seemed to like the cars too. He kept grabbing the mini Mini out of Tali's hands as she put it in the cart.

"Okay, time for toys for you, Little One," Ziva muttered as she picked up the teething ring that he had dropped on the floor. They went to the baby section and quickly picked out a few toys for Jakob. She also found a Leap Frog game with several books and activities to go with it.

Ziva also found some other things that the kids liked: coloring books, the spy sets, etc. She paid for all of the toys and put them in the trunk and back seat of her car. The toys added to all the clothes made for a full car.

"Well, it looks like we make two trips. We get lunch and then we pick out colors for your bedroom. Sound like fun?"

Tali nodded. They dropped off all the shopping bags filled with clothes and toys they had bought at the mall.

Ziva changed Jakob's diaper and gave him a pacifier to chew on while she squared the bags away in the spare room that would become Tali's room. "Ready to go again?"

Tali nodded. "Can we get something to eat first?"

"What do you want?"

"American!"

Ziva chuckled. "I will see what I can do about that."

They found a McDonald's close by. Tali loved her Kids meal with chicken and a coke. Ziva picked up Jakob to burp him after he had his bottle when her cell phone rang.

"David."

"It's me, Love," Tony's voice came from the speaker. "Just wanted you to know we got an id on Imran Amir. Also known as Kharyym Al-amir. We've got a BOLO out on him. If he's anywhere in DC, we'll get him."

"Good to know. See you tonight?"

"Of course. Give the kids my Love. Love you."

"Love you, too," Ziva smiled and hung up.

"Anything?" Tali asked, taking a slurp of her drink.

"Nothing for you to worry about, Tali. Tony sends his love."

"How can you send love?"

Ziva smirked. "It is an expression. He wants to let you know he is thinking about you."

"Okay."

"Finished?" Tali nodded. "Then, let's go find some decorations for your room."

"Yay!" she exclaimed with enthusiasm.

What do you think? The happenings in the toy store come from stories my mom told me about what I did as a kid in Wal-Mart. Until next chapter! Maylee


	17. Kidnapped!

Okay, here is the nex chapter. Internet issues are still unresolved but will be within a week, I hope. For now, enjoy this installment!

Chapter Seventeen:

Kidnapped!

"So, Mister Yousef, are you ready to talk yet about our friend Kharyym?" Gibbs asked, sitting across from the man in the interrogation room.

Hakeem Al-Yousef glared at him. "I do not know this man you are referring to."

"Now, why do I think you are lying, Hakeem?"

"You have no reason to hold me here," he sniped, tapping his fingers on the table.

"He is right, Agent Gibbs," a man barged in, looking very distinctly like a lawyer in a smart suit, carrying a briefcase, and wearing an "I am better than you" smug grin.

Man, he hated lawyers

"What is the meaning of this?" the smug lawyer man demanded, taking a seat by Hakeem.

"First off Mister—"

"Haden. James Haden."

"Mister Haden, never barge into my interrogation room without knocking. And second, the man is suspect in the murder of a Mossad operative that happens to be related to a NCIS agent."

Hakeem Al-Yousef's eyes showed shock at the revelation. Gibbs didn't miss that. "Also, he is a suspected Hamas operative. What more reason do I need to hold this man for questioning?"

"Where is your proof that this man murdered this Mossad operative?" Haden asked.

"He was carrying."

"Did these weapons have any trace of blood or transfer on them?"

Gibbs was silent, and that provided the lawyer with the lead he needed.

"I am arranging for the immediate release of Mister Al-Yousef. Thank you for your time, Agent Gibbs."

"One more question, if I may." The lawyer looked at Hakeem. He nodded. "Ask your question, Agent Gibbs."

"Why were you surprised when I mentioned that the Mossad operative was related to one of my agents?"

"I was not surprised. You must have been mistaken."

Haden led the suspect away from the interrogation room. He had a very smug smile on his face.

Gibbs walked out behind them. "Like Hell I was mistaken," he muttered.

They walked into the squad room. He heard Tony speaking over his cell phone to Metro.

"Thank you," Tony muttered as he saw Gibbs. "Call me as soon as you get anything."

He hung up.

"Any news on Amir?"

"I flagged his phone records," McGee replied instantly. "His last call was at oh eight hundred this morning from a cell phone just outside Georgetown. His credit card purchases show he has a room at the Watergate."

"No hits on the BOLO yet," Tony added grimly.

"Something's not right," Gibbs thought out loud. "He wants us to know where he's at."

"Why though?" Tony asked knitting his brows.

"I don't know, DiNozzo."

Gibbs thought for a moment as he replayed the interrogation in his head with Hakeem al-Yousef. Something about that man made his gut feel sour.

He saw the look of comprehension dawn on DiNozzo's face. "He's going after the kids."

"Damn it," Gibbs replied in agreement. "Call Ziva and tell her to get her ass back here now!"

"On it Boss!" Tony already had his phone to his ear.

Ziva pulled up to the gas pump. She grabbed her credit card to pay at the pump for the gas, but the "Out of Order" sign made her pause. "Great," she sighed to herself. She looked inside the store. "It would be a busy day, too." Ziva hated waiting in lines, but she needed the gas to get back home with all of their purchases. She filled the tank with unleaded fuel anyway and looked in the store again. It was still a long line, but not as long as a few minutes ago.

She tapped on the window to get Tali's attention. "Tali, will you be all right for a few minutes by yourself? I have to go inside to pay for fuel. I will be right back."

"Okay, Doda Ziva."

Ziva smiled and walked into the gas station. Five people were ahead of her as she got in line to pay. It seemed like it took forever for her to reach the counter. "I filled up on pump number five," she told the cashier handing him her credit card.

He swiped the card and handed her the receipt. "Sign here, please." Ziva did so as her cell phone rang. She took her copy of the receipt and answered the phone.

"Shalom, Tony." Ziva walked toward the door, sticking the receipt and card back in her pocket.

"Ziva, Kharyym is going after the kids. You need to get back to NCIS ASAP!"

"Okay. Ten minutes maybe twenty if traffic is heavy."

Ziva made it to the car and started to get in. She did a double take.

Tali was not in the car. Neither was Jakob.

She let out a string of curses in Hebrew.

"What's wrong Ziva?" She could hear the concern and worry laced in Tony's voice.

She heard tires squealing. A black Charger with Maryland plates was peeling out of the gas station despite all of the angry honks from other drivers. Ziva caught a brief glimpse of Tali in the back seat before the car dashed out of sight.

"He already has them."

Evil cliffhanger!! I know you hate me right now, but I do have some idea where this is going. Ziva is mad, mad, and more mad. Well, until next time! Maylee


	18. Failure

I am SO sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up! I also apologize for the length. My reason: Very bad week and a half. I found out that my cousin was murdered. I didn't have the strength to write anything for a while. But now I'm back and ready to write some more.

Chapter Eighteen:

Failure

Ziva walked back into the gas station after she got off the phone with Tony. If she had been angry before, she was beyond livid now. _How dare they take my sister's children under my nose!_ She was too mad to care about the idiom. She should have never left them alone in that car. She slapped herself over and over mentally.

She threw the door open and marched up to the attendant. "I need to see the surveillance tape. Now!" she demanded without preamble.

"I can't do that, Miss," he replied trying to be polite.

Ziva just got more irritated. And that was not good.

For the attendant.

"My niece and nephew have just been kidnapped! Now give me the tape!"

"Ma'am, I am sorry that happened to you, but I can't release those tapes to a civilian."

Ziva snatched her badge from her waist and thrust it under his nose. "NCIS. Now give me the damn tape!"

"NCIS?"

"Federal agent," Ziva all but screamed in exasperation. "Now, do I get the tape or do I arrest you for hampering a federal investigation?"

"Don't you mean hindering?" someone beyond her wisecracked.

Ziva ignored the correction, her focus on the attendant. She was about ready to draw her weapon on him.

And that would not have been pleasant.

"Well?"

"All right, all right. Jeez, all you had to do was ask," he exclaimed in defeat as he walked to the back of the store, muttering obscenities all the way.

"Thank you," she muttered in exasperation. She looked out at the parking lot, waiting for the team to arrive.

She sighed in relief when she saw the familiar vehicles pull into the gas station. She spotted Tony stepping out of the truck and immediately went to his side.

He pulled her into his warm arms. "I was only gone for a minute to pay for gas. I should never have left them there alone," she muttered into his chest.

"Hey, we'll find them, Ziva. With us and Gibbs on his tail, the kidnapper doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting away."

"DiNozzo's right," she heard Gibbs say behind her. "That bastard's gonna fry a long time for this. Nobody messes with my agents. Or their families." Gibbs always hated it when children were involved in cases.

"I got the attendant to go get the surveillance tape," Ziva told them, sour expression on her face at the thought of the idiotic attendant. "After I yelled at him and threatened to have him arrested. Of course, I wanted to do worse."

"That's the Ziva I know and love," Tony said kissing the top of her head. He released her and got to work.

"Ziva, do you remember anything about the car the kidnapper was driving?" Gibbs asked her as Tony and McGee went inside to talk to the other witnesses.

Ziva replayed what happened through her photographic memory. "Black Dodge Charger with Maryland license plate ACF-387D. It had a small dent on the left fender. I did not see the man in the car, but I did catch a glimpse of Tali in the back seat."

"Okay," Gibbs said taking all of her information down in his notebook. "You sit this one out for now. I'll get DiNozzo to snap photos and then you take the car to the evidence garage to be printed and traced."

Ziva nodded, too stressed out to reply.

"And stop blaming yourself for what happened, Ziva. You had no control over what happened. It wasn't your fault."

With that, Gibbs walked into the gas station, leaving Ziva to her thoughts. Gibbs was trying to reassure her, but Ziva still blamed herself for what happened to her niece and nephew.

_I failed you, Zavi. I am so sorry,_ she thought looking up at the blue sky. _I am so very sorry._

Well, that's another chapter in the books for this story. I will try to get the next one up soon. Bis spaeter! Maylee


	19. Logic of a Child

Hey again everyone. New chapter time. I know it's a little short as well, but I hope the fluff will tide you over 'til the next update. Also, I have a wild idea for some of you to chew on if you like CSI and Star Wars. If you want details, you can PM me.

Chapter Nineteen:

Logic of a Child

Gibbs walked up to Tony. "Take photos of your car. Ziva'll take it to the garage to be processed. I'm going to call in the Amber Alert."

Tony nodded and stepped outside the gas station to snap the photos. Gibbs whipped out his cell phone. "This is Agent Gibbs with NCIS, I need to put out an Amber Alert for two kidnapped children. One is a six year girl named Tali David. She is about three and a half feet tall and weighs about sixty pounds. The boy is Jakob David, five months old and weighs about ten to twenty pounds. They were last seen at the Shell gas station at the corner of 9th and Capitol Square in a Black Charger with Maryland plate number Alpha-Charlie-Foxtrot-3-8-7-Delta. It had a small dent on the left rear fender. Kidnapper is suspected Hamas, considered armed and dangerous."

"Will do Agent Gibbs," the guy in the other side replied. He could hear the keystrokes of a computer on the other side. "Okay, I'll get it out as soon as I can."

"Thank you." Gibbs hung up his cell phone. He walked back out to Ziva. She seemed to be in a daze as she watched Tony snap photos of his car—the crime scene now, he added silently.

"Hang in there, David. Those kids need you to be stronger than ever now." He put a hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture.

Ziva nodded barely.

"All done now, Zee-Vah," Tony said. "I'll see you in a little bit." He gave her a quick hug. "Love you."

Gibbs heard her reply softly before she ducked into the driver's seat and left the scene. When Tony turned back to face Gibbs, he saw the grim expression on the younger man's face. He was feeling the absence of the kids as well.

"Anything DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, trying to keep his senior field agent focused on the task at hand.

"No trace. Not even a hair," Tony said sorrowfully. "I just hope Abby finds something when Ziva gets back."

McGee walked up to the duo. He was holding a tape in his hand. "Got the surveillance tape, Boss."

"All right. Let's wrap this up and get out of here."

"ZIVA!" Abby exclaimed when her friend drove up into the garage. "Timmy told me what happened." She wrapped Ziva in a bone crushing hug. "I am so sorry." The apology sounded lame to Abby's ears.

"Toda, Abby," Ziva replied, limply returning the hug.

"Auntie Ziva!" a two year old cried and joined the hugging frenzy.

"DJ!" Abby chided. "Not so loud."

"Sowry," he replied meekly. "Why yu so sad, Auntie Ziva?"

Abby marveled at how intuitive her son was at times. It was one of those things that made him even more special to her. He made everyone smile.

Ziva bent down to his level. "I am sad because a very bad man took Tali and Jakob. And I want them back."

"Dey gonna be okay?"

"I hope so."

"Me too," DJ said simply. "Yu get dem bak, Auntie Ziva," he said suddenly hugging her.

"How do you know that?"

"Cus Mommy and Daddy and Unca Tony and Gibbs will hep yu. Dey de bes in da wold!"

Ziva smiled finally, Abby noted. You couldn't argue with the logic of a two year old. Especially not with DJ.

"That's right. Mommy needs to help Auntie Ziva right now. Why don't you go keep her company while Mommy works?"

"Otay!" he exclaimed, grabbing Ziva's hand and pulling her to the elevator.

Abby once again was awe-struck at her son. How in the world did her little monster get so smart beyond his years? Abby shook her head with a wry smile.

She grabbed her fingerprint kit and started dusting, praying to every god she could think of that her little boy was right.

Another chapter in the books! Couldn't forget about little DJ. He is so fun to write because he is so sweet. He also shows that Ziva has a soft side under her tough Mossad ninja chick shell. Until next update, Maylee


	20. The Letter

Hi again everyone. I know it has nearly been a month since my last update. It's that little thing called life that keeps creeping up. Well, I'm back and with a plan to finish this fic. Hope this holds you over until the next update.

Chapter Twenty:

The Letter

Up in the Squad Room, Ziva had let DJ set up his coloring book and crayons on her desk. She was currently helping him color in a puppy. She couldn't but think of what it would have been like to do this with her niece and nephew. She hoped they were all right.

Ziva barely noticed when the mailman dropped a stack of letters on her desk with a cheerful greeting. He ruffled DJ's hair and kept moving, going on to Tony's desk and dropping more letters.

"Auntie Ziva, the mailman dopped a box on my book," DJ moaned as he moved the box out of the way and in front of Ziva.

No return address, she noted with suspicion. No name either. It was addressed to "Mossad Liaison at NCIS"

Ziva opened the package.

Out dropped a DVD and a letter written in Hebrew script.

She read the letter and her suspicions doubled as well as her worry.

_Mossad Woman at NCIS:_

_I have your Director's grandchildren. Your actions now and in the future determine whether they live or die. Wait for further instructions. Proof has been sent of my intentions. Enjoy the show._

It had no signature.

Ziva put the letter and the DVD back in the box. She looked at DJ. "We need to go downstairs and see your mommy again."

"Why?"

"I want her to look at this letter, too."

"It about Tali and Jake?"

"Yes, it is."

"I hop dey otay."

"Me, too." Ziva looked at him as he jumped off the chair. "Do not worry about your crayons. We can color later."

DJ nodded and grabbed Ziva's hand, leading her to the elevator.

"Ziva! I thought you were staying upstairs with DJ!" Abby exclaimed when the duo walked into the garage. Abby was still dusting for prints around the passenger side door.

"Something came up," Ziva replied holding the box where Abby could see it. "They sent this to me. Luckily for us, they do not know exactly who I am. When I get my hands on them…"

Ziva did not finish the sentence out loud. Young ears were present in the room. DJ had the habit of repeating phrases. Ziva did not want the wrath of Abby focused on her again for something that DJ had heard and repeated from her. Once was bad enough.

"You'll get your chance, Ziva." Abby grabbed a fresh set of gloves and looked at the box. "What does the note say?"

Ziva repeated what the note had said. "I have not looked at the DVD yet. I want to wait until everyone is back."

"I'll dust this for prints, DNA, the whole kit and caboodle."

Tony and the rest of the gang arrived half an hour later. Ziva was still downstairs with DJ and Abby. Ziva opened her phone to read the text message Tony had sent.

"The gang is back," Ziva replied to Abby, sending a text back to Tony that she was in the lab.

Tony, Gibbs, and McGee entered momentarily. "What's going on?" Tony asked looking at his fiancée with worry.

"Kharyym al-Amir just sent a message along with a DVD. Luckily for us, he does not know exactly who I am yet. It was just sent to the Mossad Liaison Officer at NCIS." She related what the letter had said. "I have not looked at the DVD yet."

"Only prints I see on the package are Ziva's, the mailman's, and DJ's. Same with the DVD."

"Pop the DVD in, Abs. Let's see what our friend has to say," Gibbs said.

Ziva was dreading what would be on that DVD. Abby pulled the images up on the computer. An image of Tali and Jakob popped up immediately. They were scared, crying, but they were healthy. Who knows how long that would last though? Ziva asked herself as a man, Kharyym, she recognized from the INTERPOL database walked into the frame.

"Hello, Mossad Woman," he snarled in Arabic. "I know you work with NCIS. And I know that you were assigned to protect my children from me. Here is what you are going to do. You will allow them to return home with me where they belong. If you choose to come find me, my children will die a slow and painful death like their mother. As your American friends say, the ball is in your court." He motioned for someone to cut the recording and the DVD ended.

"Bastard!" Ziva exclaimed in rage. "How could you do that to your own children?"

Tony reached out to her to keep her from tearing the computer screen to shreds. "He'll pay for that," he reassured her.

"I am going to kill him!" Ziva exclaimed coldly. She was in assassin mode now. "As soon as I find him, I am going to kill him!" She barely realized that Gibbs' phone had rung.

"Keep him there!" Gibbs ordered. "Abby, analyze that film frame by frame. The rest of you with me." They rushed to the elevator to keep up with Gibbs.

The bastard was going to pay for his crimes, Ziva thought as the elevators closed.

And the chase is on! Little bit of a cliffhanger, I know. Don't worry, I'm determined to finish this story. Aufwiedersehen! Maylee


	21. Wally World Showdown!

Hello again NCIS-holics! Here is the next installment of the story. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-one:

Wally World Showdown!

Gibbs slammed the truck into a skidded stop in the emergency lane of Wal Mart. A security officer was waiting for them at the front entrance. Gibbs was out of the driver's seat before Ziva could breathe. She bolted after him, barely registering the fact that Tony and McGee had just pulled up behind them in the car.

"Agent Gibbs," he identified himself, flashing his badge at the security guard as Ziva skidded to a stop next to him. "Kharyym still in there?"

"Yes, sir. One of our cashier in Electronics ID'ed him when he walked in to pick up some DVD-Rs. I have the guys running cameras on him."

Tony and McGee had caught up to them by then. Gibbs looked at them. Split up and keep your eyes peeled. If you spot him, take him out as quickly as possible. We want him alive so we can find those kids. I'm going with security to look in the air."

Tony took off towards the Electronics section where the man was recently sighted while McGee went for the Sporting Goods. Ziva decided to head for the Food section. She started for Aisle One and proceeded down the aisles methodically and quickly searching for Amir's face in the crowd of people.

"He's not in Electronics," she heard Tony report through her earwig. "Found a new movie I need to buy though."

"Focus DiNozzo!" Ziva nearly cracked a grin at the sound of Gibbs' voice.

"Got it Boss."

"Ziva, got a 20 on Amir. He's in your area. Frozen foods section."

"Got it."

"Tony, McGee, move in on Ziva's location." Ziva tuned out the rest of the conversation as she moved to the Frozen Foods section. There, she found him inspecting a bag of---

Frozen peas?

Ziva nearly chuckled again at the absurdity of the situation. Very swiftly an idea came to mind. She walked right up to him casually, not alerting him to her presence.

"Canned peas would be easier to cook," Ziva said as she walked up to him.

"You think so?" he asked not looking up at her.

"I really think so," she said, this time in Hebrew.

This time, he did look up. He paled.

"Hello Imran." She cocked her head. "Or is it Kharyym?"

Amir didn't say anything, but he did bolt for the nearest exit, his cart all but forgotten as he ran.

"He's running!" Ziva exclaimed. "Heading for the Food Center Exit."

"Don't let him go, Ziva!"

She noticed Kharyym slow to dodge a couple pushing a stroller then a movie display. She decided to make her move. She picked up her speed and lunged.

She tackled him, slamming them both hard against the cashier stands.

"Zavi, you are supposed to be dead!"

_Hang on a minute. He doesn't know about me. He didn't know Zavi had a twin? This is going to be so much fun! _"Sorry I couldn't accommodate your needs! Ever hear of a bullet proof vest, you asshole?" she screamed in Hebrew.

"Mossad bitch!" he exclaimed as he bolted to his feet.

Ziva jumped to her feet in a flash and got into a fighting stance. Just in time for Kharyym to aim a well placed punch at her stomach. Ziva deflected the punch with her hand and landed one of her own punches to his chin with her other hand.

Kharyym grabbed her hand that she had punched him with and snapped it back, hard. She felt her wrist break, but was too angry to feel pain. She brought her knee up and nailed him in the groin.

He let out a grimace of pain, and moved to punch her again, this time aiming for her eye. Ziva dodged the blow and dropped him to the floor with a blow to the neck, using his momentum against him.

Ziva was surprised that he sprung up so suddenly after that blow, but made ready to fight again. Then she heard footsteps behind her.

"Easy Ziva," she heard Tony exclaim behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her from attacking again. "He needs to be conscious so we can interrogate him."

She noticed he had his gun leveled at them. Ziva drew her weapon as well. McGee skidded to a stop next to them with his weapon aimed at the terrorist as well.

"It's over Kharyym. Three against one. Not very good odds for you, my friend," Tony said.

Ziva finally noticed the pain in her right wrist as she gripped her weapon. It was obviously broken, but she could still handle her weapon.

"Ziva huh?" Kharyym asked with a sneer. "I knew that bitch was dead. You are the exact image of her though. Twin?"

Ziva didn't reply, but made to strike him again, but Tony held her back.

"Tony no! I want to kill him. I _will _kill him!"

"We need him alive to find the kids, Ziva!"

That calmed her down.

Kharyym made a move towards her with a snarl.

"Don't move!" McGee warned, tightening the grip on his Sig.

Kharrym turned and made for McGee.

A shot rang out and Kharyym dropped on his knees.

Ziva laughed at the hilarity of the situation when she realized where McGee had shot him.

"You shot his balls?" Tony asked with a disgusted grimace. "Jeez, McGee. Was that really necessary?"

Ziva laughed. "I enjoyed it."

McGee had pushed him down on the floor and cuffed his hands behind his back, ignoring the man's pained swearing in Arabic.

"You have the right to remain silent," Tony started reciting the terrorist's Article 31 rights.

Gibbs walked up to them with Security in tow. He took in the situation and actually smirked. "Good shot, McGee."

"Paramedics are on the way," the security officer reported.

"Good. McGee, ride with him to the hospital. Tony, take Ziva to the hospital to have her wrist checked out. Then go back to help Abby find those kids. I'm going to stay behind and question the clerk that spotted him."

"Can't I just have Ducky look at it?" Ziva asked. She really hated hospitals.

"Don't argue! DiNozzo, drive her."

"Got it, Boss. Come on, Zee."

Ziva gave an exasperated sigh, but complied with Gibbs' orders. "Fine."

Tony led her to the car, and they rode off to Bethesda.

YES!! They got him! But what about Tali and Jakob? Will the crew find them in time? Tune in for the next chapter. Maylee.


	22. Talk, You Bastard!

Hello again, everyone. I am determined to finish this story before the end of the year. So, I am definitely working like a bat outta hell to finish this. So, that said, here is the next chapter.

Chapter Twenty Two:

Talk, You Bastard!

"Hey!" Kharyym yelled at a passing nurse from his hospital bed. "Can I get a little help in here?"

The nurse paused at the doorway and peeked inside. A look at the injured man cuffed to the bed and a stern shake of the head from McGee had the nurse strolling away without another thought.

"Sorry, man. No treatment until you talk. That's the rule."

"I am not saying anything."

"Well then, you can lie there until Hell freezes over with busted balls for all I care," McGee replied. "I know that's gotta hurt though."

"Nice try." He had a sickening smirk on his face. "I was trained by the best. You will not break me."

"Well, the way I see it, you've got a one way ticket to Gitmo. Whaddya got to lose by talking to us?"

Kharyym stayed silent. McGee wanted nothing more than to wipe that stupid grin off his face. He kept his composure, however. He would not give Kharyym al Amir that victory.

McGee opted for a different tactic. He leaned in. "You are one sick bastard, you know that? Who in their right mind would kidnap their own children and leave them to day for some stupid cause?"

Nothing.

"Hey, you can mope all you want to about your injury, but there are two children out there that are losing time by the second. Want that on your head when you die a glorious death for Hamas?"

Still nothing.

A tap on the door signaled that Gibbs had arrived, two coffees in hand. "Anything?"

"Stone cold bastard," McGee muttered.

"I see. Go back to the lab and give Abby a hand. I'll take it from here." He handed one steaming cup to McGee

"Gladly, Boss," McGee replied and walked out of the hospital room. And not a moment too soon. McGee had had enough of that guy's superior than God attitude. He was determined more than ever to bust that guy to Gitmo.

Gibbs closed the door behind McGee. He looked at the man—not man, no man would abandon his children to die—the bastard lying in the hospital bed in front of him. "So, not feeling talkative?"

Kharyym stayed silent.

"That's okay, me neither." He grabbed the cold plastic chair that stood next to the hospital bed and scooted across the floor, making it screech loudly in the bastard's ears. He turned it around and sat down, leaning his arms against the backrest. He proceeded to stare at Kharyym, taking loud slurps of his coffee.

The man stayed silent, but Gibbs could tell that he was getting irritated by the constant noise coming from Gibbs. He smirked inside, continuing to use this weakness to his advantage. He made a disgusted "blah" sound at the taste of the stale hospital coffee and stumped loudly to the trash can.

"Mind keeping it down?" Kharyym finally sneered from his bed.

"Sure," Gibbs replied. He walked back to his chair, making sure his shoes dragged across the floor, making even more noise. "Sorry," he added in mock apology as he sat. "Didn't get much sleep last night. Kinda tired chasing after you."

Kharyym snorted in disdain and closed his eyes to block out the pain.

Gibbs started tapping his feet and hands on the floor and chair respectively. "Nervous habit," he added to the man when he peeked his eyes at him.

"Would you please leave? You are disturbing my rest."

"Sorry, no can do."

"Then can you at least not make any noise?"

"No!" Gibbs exclaimed, switching tactics from noisy to angry. "You sit there like a king with your nose up against the world and you complain about my company. I'm not leaving until you get your head out of your ass and tell me what you did to those children!"

"No," Kharyym replied through gritted teeth.

"Fine, go to Gitmo with busted balls. Be the laughing stock of the prison among your 'brothers.' I don't give a damn if you rot in hell!" Gibbs made to deck the man in the face, fist clenched into a tight ball.

"Fine! I admit to killing that David woman and kidnapping my children. As for where they are, they are closer than you think. Still in DC. That's all I'm saying."

Gibbs gave him one last aggravated snarl and opened the door. "Nurse, you can work on him now."

Gibbs made a few calls to have Kharrym guarded at all times by security and left for headquarters fifteen minutes later.

He barely made it to the bullpen when he got a phone call from Abby. "We found them, Gibbs!" she exclaimed.

EVIL CLIFFHANGER ALERT!! Yeah, I'm evil. Caffeine and that time of the month, eek! Shouldn't have said that, oh well. Muse is hitting me over the head with a club. So, huh try to have the next chapter up soon. Maylee


	23. Found Them!

Here is the next chapter everyone! I have never been to Washington, DC so forgive me if I messed up any of the geography in this chapter. I was using a map program on my laptop to use in this story. Once again, I apologize. So anyway, here it is!

Chapter Twenty Three:

Found Them!

Abby pulled up the next frame to analyze. She had analyzed fifty frames so far and had not gotten a single thing off the video. DJ had fallen asleep an hour ago, tired out from playing with his little microscope and his other toys. He was now snuggling in his playpen with Burt the Hippo. It was a sweet sight to behold; Abby noticed when she glanced over to check on him.

A whirl of motors from the lab door made Abby pause. "Whoever you are, you better have a Caf Pow in your hand!"

"Hey, Abs," Timmy greeted her as he approached her, laying the uber-caffeinated drink on the counter next to her. "Found anything yet?"

"No, not even a shadow. All I can tell you is that he is on the roof of some building over looking a park with some buildings in the background."

"It's okay. Here, let me give you a hand with the footage. Can you enhance the photo so that we can see the buildings in the background?"

A few strokes of the keyboard later and the image cleaned up a little. Abby immediately felt her husband tense up a little bit. "What?"

Tim pointed to a building on the computer screen. "Isn't that--?"

"The White House!" Abby exclaimed. "If we can identify another building—"

"We can triangulate their position!" Tim finished.

"Yes!" Abby exclaimed again, pulling Tim into a tight hug. "I knew I loved you for some reason!"

"Mommy?" DJ said sleepily from his playpen. "Why you shouting?"

"We think we know how to find Tali and Jakob," Abby replied as she released Tim.

"How?" DJ asked, excited. Tim went to the playpen and pulled his son out.

"Well, Mommy and I looked at the photo on the computer and found a building we knew. If we can find another, we can use their heights to triangulate their position."

"Tri-agu-lay?" DJ tried to repeat the big word his daddy used. "Was dat?"

"Big word that means to find something," Tim explained.

"Gotcha!" Abby pointed to another point on the screen. "The Washington Monument!" She pulled up a database. "Okay, the Washington Monument is 169.294 meters high. The White House is six stories tall. Tali is about five inches taller than DJ. Feed that information into the program…And the winner is."

"State Plaza Hotel!" Tim exclaimed when the program finished its calculations.

"Yes!" Abby reached for her phone and dialed Gibbs' cell phone. She barely allowed him to answer his phone when she blurted out, "We found them, Gibbs!"

"Mommy and Daddy tri-agu-lay-ed them!" DJ added proud of the big word he used.

"Where, Abs?"

"State Plaza Hotel, across from the Department of State."

"McGee, parking garage now! Call Tony and Ziva have them meet us there!" Gibbs hung up his cell phone.

Tim handed DJ to his mother and grabbed his phone. "Be right back!" he exclaimed as he darted for the elevator, waving as he punched the button for the elevator.

"Bye Daddy!"

McGee dialed Tony's number as he got out of the elevator. "This had better be important, Probie," Tony's voice came over the speaker. It sounded like they were in the car on the way back to the bullpen.

"We found them, Tony."

"Where?" That was Ziva on the other side.

"State Plaza Hotel across from the Department of State. Gibbs and I are on the way. Meet us there."

"Gotcha, Probie. Ten minutes out."

McGee hung up and rushed after Gibbs who had appeared out of the elevator. "Tony and Ziva are on their way, Boss."

"Good. Let's go." Gibbs got in the driver's seat and sped off.

Five minutes and several stomach flops on McGee's part later, the Sedan screeched to a halt outside the State Plaza Hotel. Few minutes later, Tony and Ziva pulled up next to Gibbs.

Gibbs motioned for his team to follow him. They walked into the hotel and into the reception area.

"Agent Gibbs, NCIS," Gibbs began, flashing his badge. "We are looking a man that may have checked in here." He flashed a picture at the receptionist. "Name's Kharyym al-Amir. Might have used alias Imran Amar."

"I remember him," the receptionist replied. "I checked him and another guy in a couple days ago. Next day, he comes in with two young children. Really nice guy."

"Are they still here?"

"That man isn't, but the kids and the other man still are."

"What room?"

"213, sir."

"We need a card to his room," Tony stepped in before Ziva could rush to the elevator and start breaking things down.

The receptionist nodded briefly and produced one for Tony. "Thank you."

"McGee, you cover the stairway. Tony, you cover me and Ziva."

"Got it," McGee heard Tony and Ziva acknowledge. McGee nodded that he understood. The team went to the elevator.

Ziva breathed in and out to calm herself and steel herself for whatever she would find in that hotel room. She hoped that she wouldn't find the kids dead, but she had to be prepared. She felt Tony put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and squeeze it. She sent him an appreciative half smile in thanks.

They reached Room 213. Gibbs motioned for his team to take their positions. He looked at Ziva.

She rapped on the door. "NCIS, open the door!" she exclaimed in Arabic.

There was movement inside, but no one opened the door. Ziva pulled her gun, as did Tony and Gibbs. Tony passed the card to Ziva and took position on the right of the door. Ziva slid the card in and unlocked the door. She immediately had her gun aimed as Gibbs stepped in, Ziva following.

She turned to the right and scanned the suite. No one in the living room. Ziva trained her gun on the bedroom. She felt Tony enter the room behind her.

"Doda Ziva, no! He has a gun!" she heard Tali scream out before she was silenced by a slap. That made her mad. She kicked the door down and entered the bedroom, Gibbs following behind.

"Federal agents, drop your weapon!" Gibbs ordered.

Ziva eyed the man in the room who had slapped Tali. She nearly groaned when she recognized the snarling Yousef. He grabbed the crying Tali and held the gun at her head.

"Drop your weapons, or the girl dies."

"Doda Ziva!" Tali cried, sending a wail from Jakob who was flailing around on the bed.

"It's going to be okay, Tali," Ziva replied, dropping her weapon on the ground. Gibbs followed suit.

"You are outnumbered Yousef. We already have Kharyym in custody. You're all alone."

"I do not care. I will complete my mission."

Yousef let Tali go. She immediately went to Ziva. "Calm your brother down," she told the little girl.

Tali wiped her teary eyes and jumped on the bed. She could hear her singing softly to her baby brother.

"Now, you will let us out and not follow us."

Yousef yelled at Tali to grab Jakob and follow him. Ziva nodded at Tali to do what he said.

Yousef kept his gun trained on Ziva and Gibbs as he exited the bedroom. That was when he ran into Tony.

"Forget about me?" he quipped as he pistol whipped him. He was distracted enough to lower his guard.

Ziva made her move and kicked his gun hand. The pistol went flying out the bedroom. With another swift move of Ziva's hand, Yousef was an unconscious heap on the floor. Ziva quickly handcuffed him. Tony and Gibbs dragged him out of the room. Ziva bagged the gun. When she rose from her position, she was ambushed by a six year old.

"You saved us!" Tali exclaimed.

"Let's get Jakob and get out of here," Ziva smiled at her niece. She quickly cradled her five month nephew and followed the guys out of the hotel room.

Okay, you can catch your breath now, the kids are safe. So, maybe one or two chapters after this and this story will be done. I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed this story. They make me smile everyday. So, tune in for the conclusion of Picking Up the Pieces! Maylee


	24. Goodbye

Okay, I apologize once again for the delay between updates. My laptop is still down so still using my brother's. And I am still suffering from writer's block. Never good. So, I am trying to write despite my block. My muse is working overtime right now on other ideas. Another NCIS story (possibly series) and a very interesting crossover fic (very experimental). Anyway, I present to you....

Chapter Twenty Four:

Goodbye

Ziva walked into the bullpen, utterly exhausted from her bout with Kharyym and from her brief stay in the hospital to splint her broken wrist. Tony followed her, understanding her silence and offering his support when she needed him.

"Tony, can you watch Jakob and Tali for a moment? I need to go say goodbye to my sister."

"Take all the time you need, Zee," Tony said, squeezing her hand.

Ziva nodded weakly and went to the elevator once more, passing by Gibbs and Jenny with a barely perceptible nod.

She pressed the button for the morgue, and rode the elevator down to Ducky's lair. She had been putting this off for far too long. Now that Kharyym was in custody and on his way to Guantanamo Bay, the inevitable had snuck up on her. The doors opened with a soft ping, allowing Ziva entrance to the morgue.

She looked around the morgue, her eyes searching for Ducky and Palmer, but her mind was a million miles away. She walked to the table where her twin sister lay motionless on a cold slab of metal. She touched Zavi's forehead, the face that was so like her own it was scary. It was as if she was looking at herself on the table, and she was dreaming.

It was not the case this time. Her twin sister had really died. And now she was the last child of Eli David. She was the one left to carry the burden of her family. Zavi had always been there with her through the grief of losing first their little sister Tali and then Ari by her own hand. Now she was alone.

"Shalom, my sister. I apologize for not coming to see you sooner. As Tony would say, I am still coming to terms with your death. I did not want to say goodbye. We caught the man who killed you, so you can rest in peace now. Tali and Jakob will miss you very much, as much as I do. I hope I can keep strong for them and raise them well."

Ziva faintly heard the sound of office doors opening, but continued speaking to her sister. "I am afraid though. I have never been responsible for young children. How am I to know how to care for them? What if I mess up and Tali and Jakob turn out like Ari? I will do my best to raise them. I have Tony to help me. They seem to have taken a liking to him. You would have too, Zav."

Ziva wiped a tear from her eye. "I can almost hear you now. 'Stop crying! You will do fine. I know you will!'" she imitated her sister with a sad smile. "You always knew how to make me feel better. Thanks for that. I never told you how much I appreciated your encouragement. I love you, Zav. Until we meet again, my sister."

Ziva swept a hand over her sister's cheek a final time, fighting the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She sat down on the floor, back against the wall. She had to compose herself before she returned to the bullpen. Tali and Jakob did not need to see her so upset.

The tears came, despite her efforts. She cried for Tali and Jakob who would never know their mother. Who saw their father put in jail for the horrible things he did. She cried for Tali who lost her life much too soon. She cried for Ari, whose life she had to end because he was a threat to the world and to her newfound family.

It seemed like she had sat there for hours, letting the tears fall though in reality it was but a few minutes. She looked up when she heard the distant sound of Ducky walking in.

"Ziva, my dear, what are you doing down there?"

"I was saying goodbye to my sister. Then, I sat down here to compose myself."

"I see. You know, no one will think any less of you if they see you cry. I certainly do not, my dear."

"In Mossad when you let your guard down, you die. Crying is a weakness; you cannot appear to be weak."

"It is also human to cry, Ziva. It is not healthy to keep emotions bottled up in you. Now come and wash those tears away." Ducky helped Ziva up from her position on the floor.

"Toda." She smiled weakly and let Ducky lead her to the sink where she washed her face.

"Do you feel better now?"

"It is a slow process, Ducky. I think I will be all right though. For Tali, Jakob, and Tony."

"Atta girl, Ziva. Now take those children home and tell them stories about your own childhood with your sister. Remember all the good times with them."

Ziva nodded. "I needed that. Thank you, Ducky."

"Always a pleasure."

She smiled openly now as she entered the elevator and rode up to the squad room.

Tony looked up from his desk when she entered. Tali skipped over to her side immediately. "Where did you go Doda Ziva?"

"Downstairs to see Ducky. Are you ready to go home?"

"Ken. I am sleepy."

"Here," Tony said lifting Tali up. "You look like you're about to fall over right now. I'll carry you to the car."

Ziva looked down at the gurgling five month old. "Hey there little guy. Ready to go home?"

Jakob smiled at her and reached out his tiny hands.

"You want me to carry you?"

He made a happy squeal as Ziva lifted him from the carrier. He immediately grabbed a piece of hair and pulled…hard.

"I get it; you wanted to play with my hair. Just do not put it in your mouth."

Ziva heard McGee chuckle in the background. And as she walked into the elevator behind Tony, she swore she saw Gibbs smiling out of the corner of her eye.

Two days later, Ziva laid her sister to rest. She thought it best to bury her sister close to her family, her children. It was a small and private ceremony with little pomp or circumstance. Just how Zavi would have wanted.

Five months later upon their wedding, Tony and Ziva officially adopted Tali and Jakob. The family found a new life in each other and in their new house in Georgetown. Life was good for the David-DiNozzo family.

So, shall I end it here? Or do you want an epilogue? Let me know. I do have an epilogue in mind, but you have to let me know. You know what to do....

Maylee


	25. Epilogue: The Ties That Bind

Wow! I can't believe this is the last chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this story. I know it took me on an emotional roller coaster. Anyway, here is the epilogue!

Epilogue:

The Ties That Bind

Tali David-DiNozzo slept peacefully in the middle of a pleasant dream of some kind. Her dream was interrupted with a bang as her four year old brother Jakob ran into her room and jumped in the bed with her.

"Tali! Wake up, it's Christmas!" Jakob exclaimed, shaking his sister awake.

Tali groaned as he shouted in her ear. "Did you have to scream in my ear?" she asked him, sitting up. "Quiet! You're gonna wake up Cay-Zee."

"But it's Christmas! I wanna go see what Santa brought me!"

"Okay, I'm awake. Let's go wake up Aunt Ziva and Uncle Tony. Remember what we talked about yesterday?"

Jakob shook his head. Tali sighed.

"Remember when we went to see Ima's grave? When we asked Ima if it was okay to call Ziva and Tony our mom and dad?"

Jakob's eyes then lit up. "Oh!"

"I had a dream about Ima. She told me it was okay!"

"Auntie Ziva's the only mommy I know!" Jakob exclaimed sadly.

"You can ask Ziva to talk about her, show you pictures of her."

"Okay! Come on Tali!"

Tali laughed at her brother. He had already jumped off her bed and ran into Ziva's and Tony's room.

Ziva David-DiNozzo woke up to Jakob's yelling at Tali. She may snore "like a drunken sailor" as Tony had said more than once, but she was a light sleeper. She knew it would be a few minutes until Jakob or Tali or both ran into the bedroom and jump on the bed to wake them up.

Ziva looked up into her husband's sleeping face. Sometime in the night he had wrapped himself tighter around her. She propped herself up so she could look at the crib across the room where their eighteen month old daughter Caitlin Zavia DiNozzo was still asleep. Though she wouldn't be for long; she was an early riser like her mom.

Tali, Jakob, and little Cay-Zee-as Tali called her-were the light of Ziva's life. Tali and Jakob had come into her life quite unexpectedly those four years ago when her twin sister Zavi died, but she had learned to care for as her own. She loved them as her own, even though they were her sister's children.

Ziva had been left to pick up the pieces of Tali and Jakob's broken family along with Tony and the rest of her NCIS family. She had put the pieces back together, and the little family had forged a bond that was stronger than ever before.

And about to get bigger, she thought with a secret smile as she snuggled back into Tony's chest and waited for Tali and Jakob to wake them up once more.

She didn't have to wait long. She heard the door creak open and Jakob sneak in. Then, he jumped on the bed.

"Auntie Ziva! Uncle Tony! Wake up, it's Christmas!" Jakob shouted.

"Too early," Tony muttered.

"Uncle Tony!" Tali exclaimed. "Don't make me pour water on you."

"Fine you two. I'm awake."

Jakob giggled as they heard sounds coming from the crib.

Ziva looked up and Cay-Zee was standing up in her crib, rubbing her eyes. "Mama, out!" she exclaimed.

"I'll get you out Cay-Zee," Tali answered her, walking over to her.

"Ta-ee! Out!"

Tali grabbed the toddler and lifted her out of the crib. She caught a whiff of something very unpleasant. "Whoa girl! You are cute and all, but you stink!"

Ziva laughed. "Here," she said as she rose out of bed. "I'll take her and change her. You two get out of here and downstairs."

"Okay, Doda Ziva!" cried two excited voices. In a thunder of footprints, Jakob rushed out. Tali shook her head and followed her little brother downstairs.

Ziva quickly changed Cay-Zee's diaper and carried her downstairs to the living room and sat her in front of the Christmas tree. Tony came down shortly after, trying to hide a huge yawn behind his hand.

"Okay," Tony began, reaching underneath the tree. "I think this one is for Jakob!"

Jakob wriggled in anticipation as Tony handed him a delicately wrapped present.

"This one is for Tali." He handed her a gift to open. "Let's see, huh, this one is addressed to Cay-Zee. Wanna open it sweetheart?"

"Kis'mas!" the toddler exclaimed, waddling her way to her daddy and taking the gift from his hands.

"Want Ima to help you open it?"

"Hep!" she exclaimed climbing onto her mommy's lap. Ziva gently guided her hands as her daughter ripped away the paper.

"Zoom! Zoom!" Jakob cried swishing his new space shuttle toy around in the air. "Hooston, we hab a prob'em!" he replied. "Kaboom, rocket ship crash!" He slammed the space shuttle onto the floor.

"You let him watch _Apollo 13_?" Ziva asked Tony with an incredulous look as she stirred the filling for a banana pudding, a new recipe she had found in a Southern cookbook.

"He wanted to see the cool spaceship," Tony defended himself.

Ziva just shook her head at her childlike husband. "Here, stir for a minute while I check on the turkey. Don't let it burn!" she admonished Tony.

"Of course not!" he replied innocently as Ziva moved to open the oven and peer at the turkey cooking in the roasting pan. She removed the tinfoil to allow the turkey to brown. "Almost done," she announced. She turned back to Tony and the filling.

"Is it supposed to thicken up this much?"

"Yes, Tony," she replied. "Out of my way," she ordered him as she took the filling from the stove and poured it into the bowl containing the sliced bananas and vanilla wafers.

"Wow! Banana pudding!" Abby exclaimed as she walked into the kitchen. "I haven't had any of that in years!"

"Hey Abs. Where's McGeek and the little squirt?" Tony asked as he gave her a hug. "Wow! How much longer until the twins make their appearance?

"Three months. I feel like a whale already! I wasn't nearly this big when I was pregnant with DJ. By the way, they are in the living room. DJ's playing with Jakob's space shuttle. Timmy's keeping an eye on them."

"Better get out there and help them, before Ziva kills me." Tony kissed his wife on the forehead and bowed out before Ziva could set another culinary task for him to suffer through.

"Men," Abby exclaimed, breathing out a sigh of exhaustion as she plopped down unceremoniously in a chair.

"I know. So how are you doing?"

"Fine, even though I am constantly hungry, and that banana pudding is making my mouth water!"

Ziva chuckled as she applied the topping, smearing it evenly across the pudding. "Must be fun," she remarked.

"Hey, next time you can carry twins and see how you feel!" Abby exclaimed with a huff.

"No, one at a time is enough for me," Ziva replied, hand going subconsciously to her stomach.

No surprise that Abby caught on immediately. "I saw that. Yay! Another little DiNozzo running around! I would hug you right now, but I can't get up!"

"Quiet, Tony doesn't know yet. I planned to tell him when everybody gets here and starts dinner."

"Don't worry. Secret's safe with me." Abby mimicked zipping her lips and throwing away the key as Ziva popped the banana pudding in the oven along with the turkey.

Ziva let out a sigh of relief as she dropped the towel and sat down next to Abby. "That's the last of it," she exclaimed. "Now we wait until Gibbs, Jenny, and Ducky get here and we can eat."

As if on cue, the door bell rang. "Uncle Gibbs!" Jakob and DJ exclaimed in unison. "I got it!" Tali yelled moments later.

Jenny entered moments later. "Hey, did I miss all the fun?"

"No, just having a little girl talk until the banana pudding is finished," Abby answered as Jenny sat down next to Abby and across from Ziva.

"I brought some apple pie," Jenny told Ziva. "I placed it on the table."

"Toda."

There was a scuffle of feet outside the kitchen and little Shannon entered along with Tali.

"Hey Shay," Ziva greeted the little four year old.

"Hi Auntie Ziva," she said quietly. "Can I have a drink of water?"

"Sure. Tali, you want to help her?"

"That was the plan," Tali said with a shrug. "Is dinner almost ready? I'm starved!"

"We are waiting until Ducky gets here," Abby answered her as the ten year old removed a glass and filled it with water.

"Here you go Shay. Be careful."

Shannon gingerly took the glass and walked over to the table. "Mommy, can I sit with you?"

Jenny smiled and let her daughter climb into her lap. "Comfy?"

Shannon smiled as she drank her water. "Thank you, Mommy."

"Ziva, Ducky's here!" Tony called from the living room.

"Okay, help me set the table guys?" Ziva asked.

"I'll go round up the kids," Abby said as she slowly rose from the table. "They can grab the utensils."

Noise came from the living room and down the hallway into one of the bedrooms as the kids played. Then there was a crash and sounds of crying.

Ziva, Jenny, and Abby all cringed as Tali came running into the kitchen. "Jakob tripped and hit the door. I told him not to run!"

"I got him. Come on Tali."

Ziva walked down the hallway and towards Jakob's room.

"Mommy!" he cried. "My head hurts!"

Ziva froze. He called her "Mommy." He had never done that before.

"Come here, Jake, let me see."

She cradled him in her lap. She looked at the red spot that was forming on his forehead. "Just a bump. You will be fine." She kissed him on the forehead. "All better!"

"Thank you Mommy," he sniffed.

"No problem, just don't run in the house any more okay?"

He nodded, wiping away the tears.

Tali looked at them. "Ima?" she asked tentatively. "Is he gonna be okay?"

"Yes. Just fine."

"What happened?" a concerned Tony asked as he saw Ziva cradling Jakob in her lap.

"I hurt my head Daddy," Jakob sniffed.

Tony froze. "Did he just call me?"

"Ken."

"Did we make you sad, Aba?" Tali asked. "Ima?"

"Come here you guys," Tony said wrapping all three of them into a huge hug. "We're not sad. You made us very happy today."

"We have loved you like our own since we first got you. Do not worry about what your real mom would what have thought. I know Zavi would be okay with you calling us your mom and dad."

"I think she would have wanted it that way."

"You think so?" Tali asked.

"Yeah," Tony replied looking at Ziva, who nodded in agreement.

"I love you Mommy and Daddy," Jakob said snuggling closer into Ziva's chest.

"Hey!" Gibbs exclaimed. "You guys done yet?"

"Come on Daddy!" Jakob replied, tugging his hand. "Food!"

"You guys go ahead," Ziva said ushering them ahead. "I have something I want to tell your Aba."

The NCIS family was waiting at the dining room table when Ziva and Tony finally walked in. Tony had a huge smile on his face.

"You told him?" Abby asked her.

Ziva nodded.

"I'm going to be a daddy again!" Tony exclaimed.

"Hey Cay-Zee!" DJ exclaimed. "You're gonna be a big sister too!"

After a round of congratulations for the happy couple, the rag tag family finally got down to business—eating the wonderful dinner Ziva had cooked.

Das Ende

It's done. sniffs So, what do I write next? I have a few stories in mind. Some of them more developed than others. So, what do you think?

CHOICE A:

NCIS story that could become a series. A childhood friend of Ziva's comes to Washington, DC to work with NCIS. She's not what Gibbs and the gang expects her to be.

CHOICE B:

An experimental crossover between CSI Miami and Star Wars. Familiar SW characters are placed on Earth as teenagers in Miami. What happens when a drug lord wrecks havoc in a Miami high school? Enter Horatio Caine and the Miami Crime Scene team!

Well, which do you think I should post? Once again, thank you for all the kind reviews you have given me while I labored through this story.

Until next post,

Maylee


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